Now that school is out for the summer, it is time for everyone to just kick back and relax. This is a time for children to forget about many of their responsibilities and stay up late, wake up late, and lounge around all day. However, one responsibility that should never be forgotten is their dental health. As a parent, it is your job to make sure they don't forget. Here are four tips to help keep your child's teeth in good condition this summer.

Tip #1: Maintain a Schedule

Over the summer, your regular routine will go out the window because you will no longer be on your regular schedule of getting up at a certain time in the morning to go to school. Therefore, it is important to ensure that your children continue to brush their teeth twice a day and floss once a day. This is particularly important because they may be consuming a bit more sugar than usual.

Tip #2: Limit the Sugar

While sugar intake will increase, you will want to try to limit the amount of sugar that your children consume over the summer months. This is especially true when it comes to beverages. Over the summer, some of the most favored beverages are sports drinks, lemonade, and soda. Other sugary summer favorites include ice cream and popsicles. Make sure that water is always offered to help keep your children properly hydrated, reduce sugar intake, and rinse away bacteria and leftover food particles.

Tip #3: Eat Healthy Snacks

As you try to reduce sugary beverages and foods, you will want to make sure that your children have plenty of healthy foods available to them. So, as summer begins, make sure that your kitchen is stocked with plenty of fruits and vegetables, such as watermelons, berries, carrots, and pears. Sunflower seeds are also a great, healthy snack instead of something starchy like potato chips. Another healthy option is cheese sticks.

Tip #4: Protect Your Teeth and Plan for Emergencies

There are tons of activities that your children will be partaking in throughout the summer, from swimming and playing sports to backyard barbecues and picnics. The one thing that all of these activities have in common is that they can be dangerous. The deck around a swimming pool can be very slippery, which can lead to a slip-and-fall accident and a broken tooth. During sports, a child could take a hit to the face with a ball leading to a chipped or knocked-out tooth. It is very important for children to take precautions and wear mouth guards when necessary. If a tooth is knocked out, it needs to be kept in water, milk, or saliva until it can be placed back in the socket, which needs to be done as soon as possible.

Summer may be a time for fun and games, but don't forget to also help your children maintain oral hygiene practices as well as regular check-ups with the dentist.

Visit websites like http://www.childrensdent.com for additional support.