School is out for the summer! Here are a few tips to keep you and your family healthy this summer.
Practice Sun Safety:
- Seek shade-UV rays are strongest and most harmful during midday, so it’s best to plan indoor activities then. If this is not possible, seek shade under a tree, an umbrella, or a pop-up tent.
- Cover up-When possible, long-sleeved shirts and long pants and skirts can provide protection from UV rays. Clothes made from tightly woven fabric offer the best protection.
- Get a hat-Hats that shade the face, scalp, ears, and neck are easy to use and give great protection. If your child chooses a baseball cap, be sure to protect exposed areas with sunscreen.
- Wear sunglasses-They protect your child’s eyes from UV rays, which can lead to cataracts later in life. Look for sunglasses that wrap around and block as close to 100% of both UVA and UVB rays as possible.
- Apply sunscreen-For the best protection, apply sunscreen generously 30 minutes before going outdoors. Don’t forget to protect ears, noses, lips, and the tops of feet.
Keep it healthy with your snacks:
- Prepare healthy snacks in advance-Did you know that you can make your own granola or trail mix? When you make something yourself, you get to control the ingredients and put in what’s good for you! You also can keep plenty of fresh fruit and veggies at home to take on the go. Cut up melons or vegetables like celery and carrots in advance. Keep the servings in bags in the fridge, ready to grab and go.
- Keep healthy snacks with you-Make it a habit to stash some fruit, whole-grain crackers, or baby carrots in your backpack or workout bag so you always have some healthy food nearby.
- Make it interesting -Healthy snacking doesn’t have to be boring as long as you give yourself a variety of choices. Whole-wheat pretzels with spicy mustard, rice cakes with peanut butter and raisins, or low-fat fruit yogurt are healthy, tasty, and easy.
Stay hydrated but watch for acidic drinks:
The best way to hydrate yourself — or your child — during and after exercise is with plain, pure water. If you occasionally have a sports drink (hopefully never an energy drink), there are some precautions you can take to protect your teeth:
- Wait for mealtimes- Your saliva needs 30 to 60 minutes to neutralize any acid in your mouth. Drinking acidic beverages in between meals doesn’t give saliva, your natural oral buffering fluid, enough time to work before the next acid bath comes along — so that your mouth is always acidic.
- Rinse with water- The pH of water is completely neutral. Therefore, if you swish some water in your mouth after eating or drinking something acidic, you will be helping to reduce acidity.
- Wait an hour to brush-Exposing your teeth to acidic drinks can demineralize (soften) the surface enamel before it is buffered (and re-hardened), leading to its loss. The damage to teeth can be compounded if the softened enamel is physically brushed off the tooth with a toothbrush. So brushing immediately after drinking acidic drinks makes it worse, not better.
These tips apply to all acidic beverages — sodas and fruit juices included.
See chart below for Acid information:
Maintain your Health:
- Keep up with doctor and dental visits-Summer is a great time to schedule physicals and dental cleaning appointments. If you are overdue for a physical call your doctor today. If you are overdue for a cleaning call us today to schedule your cleaning.