10 Jun Ready for Chandler’s All-American Bash? Here’s How to Enjoy the Food Without Hurting Your Teeth
One of the most exciting parts of summer celebrations is all the wonderful foods that are in season! Whether it’s the 4th of July favorites you share year after year, or classic treats from the county fair, you might be surprised that you don’t have to choose between the foods you love and taking great care of your smile. Here are some simple tips that allow you to enjoy both and enjoy the food without hurting your teeth.
How to Protect Your Teeth When Eating
Although many popular foods at summer parties (like pies, chips, soda, and lemonade) are delightful, they can really set your mouth up for trouble. Ice cream, sweet tea, cobblers, baked beans, and pulled pork can leave your teeth bathed in sugar. However, with a little planning, you can minimize the risks to your oral health.
Here are some tips for keeping your teeth healthy while enjoying your favorite summer foods:
- Drink lots of water. Not only does it keep you hydrated in hot weather, it also rinses away the sugars that drive tooth decay.
- Chew a piece of sugar-free gum after eating. This encourages saliva production and helps protect your teeth.
- Skip the hard candies, candied apples, or chewing on ice. No one wants to spend a holiday weekend nursing a broken tooth!
More Tips to Keep Your Teeth Healthy All Summer Long
Make Healthy Summer Foods to Share
Explore new ways to indulge your summer cravings while limiting excess sugar. If you’re hosting or attending a potluck, grill vegetables for a sweet caramelized finish, prepare watermelon slices full of refreshing natural juice, or put together a charcuterie board with cheese, nuts, and fresh berries. Switch to a water-based Italian ice instead of ice cream, or serve homemade agua fresca instead of soda, so you can control the sweetness.
Don’t Go to Bed without Brushing and Flossing
Easygoing summer days are a prime time for letting routines slip. Between the changes in schedule with the kids home from school, vacation travel, and late nights enjoying the lingering sunsets and porch conversations with neighbors, it’s easy for one night of skipped tooth brushing to become two, and so on. Before you know it, you can’t remember the last time you brushed before bed or flossed your teeth.
This is where the value of a good oral hygiene routine kicks in. Having an established routine makes it much easier to stay on track, regardless of early mornings, late nights, or days spent away from home. A simple two-step habit of brushing upon waking and right before bed goes a long way toward keeping cavities and gum disease at bay.
Get a Cleaning from Your Dental Hygienist
Don’t let all the summer fun get in the way of your dental health. If you have an appointment scheduled during the summer, resist the temptation to skip it. A professional cleaning is one of the best ways to protect your teeth, because it gets rid of all the plaque and tartar.
In fact, if you’ve been so busy that your brushing habits have slipped, you might want to schedule a cleaning to get back on the right track. And if you want your teeth to look great in all those summer photos, a cleaning will remove surface stains and make your smile brighter.
Dental checkups also give your dentist an opportunity to spot areas of concern. You don’t want to be troubled with a toothache while you’re on vacation. Scheduling an exam before you leave is always a good idea—that way your dentist can treat any minor problems.
Enjoy Chandler’s All-American Bash with a Sparkling Smile
Whether you’re attending one of the many festivals and fireworks celebrations throughout Chandler or throwing your own Independence Day party, we share your hometown pride!
As a local dental care provider, we want to do all we can to keep you smiling. Saba & Chiappetti Dental Associates welcomes you to schedule dental checkups and cleanings for the whole family. Our convenient location makes keeping up with your dental care a breeze. Contact us today to make an appointment.
Photo by Nicole Herrero on Unsplash used with permission under the Creative Commons license for commercial use 6/10//2025.