Celebrate Dads, Grads, and Summer without Harming Their Teeth

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

Memorial Day weekend officially kicks off the summer cookout season in Minnesota. Many of us look forward to toasting grads, dads, and warmer weather with brats, cold pop, chips, and frozen treats to cool us off. But many of the cookout foods we look forward to in summer can wreak havoc on our teeth. Here are some tips on how to enjoy summer cookouts while maintaining a healthy smile.

1. Make gum part of your party spread.

Chewing sugar-free gum does more than just freshen breath. Chewing for at least 20 minutes generates saliva that washes away food, sugars, and acids that bacteria thrives on. Offer your guests gum on the picnic table or in a closed container in the bathroom.

2. Offer dental picks, not toothpicks.

Toothpicks are handy at getting stuck food out between teeth, but their sharp ends can do major damage to gums (and who wants a mouth splinter ruining a great party?). Instead, offer dental picks or plaque removers in a closed container in the bathroom so your guests can remove corn on the cob from between their teeth.

3. Go seedless.

Help your guests avoid getting food stuck in their teeth in the first place by choosing foods without seeds. Opt for hot dog buns without sesame seeds and make your fruit salad with seedless watermelon, apples, grapes, and banana instead of strawberries and blackberries.

4. Try infused water instead of pop.

Infused water is a great refreshment on hot, humid Minnesota days. It’s cool, low in sugar and calories, and full of fruit flavor. Serve infused water in place of pop and sports drinks. Encourage adult beverage drinkers to alternate cans of beer with glasses of infused water. Some favorite infusers include cucumber, melon, pineapple, mint, basil, orange, lemon, grapefruit, but there are so many possibilities.

5. Crush up ice cubes.

Everyone enjoys a cold beverage on a hot summer day, but chewing ice cubes can wear away tooth enamel and even crack teeth. Take a moment to crush ice cubes before serving them to your guests. You may even find breaking up cubes with a hammer great therapy for a stressful week (or party prep!).

Dr. Jeff and Dr. Elizabeth at Eggert Family Dentistry love summer parties as much as our patients do. Enjoy your company and your party food this summer, just don’t forget to show your teeth some love, too. Contact us today to schedule your next recare visit.