Many parts of the United States have already had really hot temperatures this spring. In spite of this, many swimming pools don’t officially open for the summer season until until Memorial Day weekend. Since many people will be out swimming this weekend, I thought I would share a few tips on how to prevent dental injuries — keep your kids and their teeth happy by reading this article!
How to Keep Your Teeth Safe at the Swimming Pool This Summer
What many parents don’t realize is that lots of dental emergencies happen at swimming pools. If you take a blistering hot day, add a few dozen kids, throw in a lot of hard concrete edges, and sprinkle in some water to make everything slippery, you’ve created the perfect recipe for a dental disaster!
Luckily, you can prevent many dental injuries by simply following these three guidelines:
1 – No Running! Make sure that your kids walk while in the swimming pool area. Most pools have No Running posted as one of their rules. This is because water often gathers around swimming pools which makes things extra slippery. By making your kids walk, they will be less likely to slip, fall, and injure their teeth.
2 – Talk to Your Kids. If your kids are old enough, tell them that they can hurt their teeth. Many children don’t realize that teeth can chip, crack, and even fall out. If you tell them what can happen if they’re not careful when climbing the ladder, or hanging onto the hard, www.onlinepharmacytabs.com concrete edge of the pool they will likely be more careful and this will prevent a dental injury.
3 – Don’t Play too Rough. If you are throwing your kids around in the water, they will be more likely to accidentally hit something that could hurt their mouth. Even accidentally colliding with another child in the pool could be forceful enough to cause a dental injury! So be aware of your surroundings and find safe games and activities to do in the water.
What to Do When a Dental Injury Occurs at the Pool
It’s a good idea to know beforehand what to do when a tooth falls out. If you haven’t read my past articles, you may want to check out these two articles:
What to do When Your Child’s Baby Tooth Gets Knocked Out
Nine Steps to Take When Your Permanent Tooth Gets Knocked Out
You also might want to put your dentist’s phone number into your cell phone so that you’ll have it in case a dental emergency occurs. Most dentists have a system to reach them after hours if needed.
Most Importantly: Have Fun
Have a lot of fun and be safe at the pool this summer! With a little extra caution, you can enjoy hours of water fun and stay injury-free.
Do you have any questions, comments, or concerns about dental accidents at the swimming pool? Speak your mind in the comments section below.
Have a great Memorial Day – I’ll be back with a new article next Wednesday. Thanks for reading!
rosie.wong@energizer.com