Your teeth have a busy summer schedule. Your teeth need to:

• Eat your famous grilled fare
• Schedule that summer dentist appointment
• Share that big smile with your family and friends.

These common summer activities (or party tricks) can end up wearing down your smile, and your dental health. Cut these out of your habits this season:

WORKING THE RIDES AT THE TOWN FAIR OR CARNIVAL

Nothing beats working at your carnival in the summertime. Being outside, enjoying the sites sounds like the perfect place to be employed. However, the dentist might not approve of how carnival treats can damage your teeth! Although there are temptations like excessively sugary cotton candy and funnel cake, look for delicious alternatives such as corn on the cob or roasted peanuts.

MANAGING THE REGISTER AT A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT

You’re probably not surprised that a fast food job made this list. Working these positions may lure you into an unhealthy diet. Fast food restaurants have extremely high amounts of salt and sugar, which increases the risk of developing cavities and gum disease. To avoid munching on fast food throughout the day, try eating a nutritious meal with protein and leafy greens before work. Pack a sack lunch to get you through the day later on, too. Plus, you’ll probably end up saving that hard-earned cash!

SHOOTING PUCKS ON THE ICE AS A HOCKEY COACH

When it comes to sports and missing your teeth, hockey comes to mind. If you are coaching – or playing – hockey, take preventive actions to protect yourself. You wouldn’t go out on the ice without a helmet, so don’t forget to shield your smile from the puck with a mouthguard. A puck or a stick can accidentally hit you in the face at any time. Other actions we recommend includes wearing a full cage to cover your entire face. Ensure your mouthguard is correctly fitted to protect those pearly whites.

SLINGING SKITTLES IN A CANDY STORE

Working in a candy store is a great summer job! However, it increases your opportunities to damage your teeth. Eating candy increases your exposure to sticky sugars, which results in a higher risk for the formation of cavities.

Avoid eating too much candy and damaging your teeth by limiting yourself to one serving of candy per day, drinking plenty of water, and packing healthy alternative snacks. Be sure to brush and floss after each meal!

BEING A BOTTLE OPENER

Nothing makes the perfect summer couple quite like beer and BBQs. But while your friends may think it’s cool when you pop open a bottle of Kona Longboard Lager with your teeth, your dentist thinks otherwise. Biting down on a hard, foreign object can actually crack your tooth or cut your gums.

ACTING LIKE AN ICE MACHINE

Nothing is more refreshing than an ice-cold drink to counter the summer heat. But after your drink is finished, avoid the temptation to chomp on the remaining ice. That repetitive crunching motion can create microscopic fractures on your teeth and grind down your enamel, making your teeth more susceptible to decay.

AN EXCUSE FOR SCISSORS

We get that you can’t wait to open that new package you got in the mail, but this is a job for fingers or scissors, not your teeth. Consistent tearing and ripping can damage your enamel.

Remember, your teeth are good for eating, speaking, and smiling. But they are never good substitutes for tools. Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest, to find out other tips for maintaining a healthy smile this summer!

*Updated July 2021