If the weather reports are anywhere near accurate, this week we are likely to see temperatures reaching 30 degrees and possibly beyond. These temperatures are more typical of places like Rome and Athens than Harrow / Wembley!

We shouldn’t complain though given the unreliability of the British weather, but these temperatures don’t come without risks and we need to protect our teeth and gums when the weather gets hot.

Below, we offer our patients some basic but useful tips.

1 – Don’t use the weather to skip your dental appointment. If you have an appointment made for a check-up at Neem Dental Clinic, Harrow, please keep it. Postponing it until it cools down may result in a longer delay than you intend. We will do our best to see you as soon as we can when you come, so that you can get back out in the sun.

2 – Stay well hydrated. It is easy to become dehydrated in the hot weather and this is bad for our general health but also for our gums. Gum disease is more likely to be present in people with a dry mouth so try to drink plenty of water throughout the day.

3 – Curb those World Cup celebrations – beer is OK in moderation, but a combination of hot weather and a Euro Cup means that some people will drink a lot more than usual. The risks of accidents rise when this happens, and, as we know, alcohol also causes a dry mouth (see above).

4 – Remember to brush – The heat can be draining, especially if it is also humid. Tiredness can then easily cause us to skip brushing our teeth at night before we go to bed because we are ‘too tired’. You should never be too tired to brush your teeth; it only takes a few minutes and is the most essential thing you can do to avoid tooth decay.

5 – Restrict your ice creams – As well as beer, the sale of ice creams and soft drinks tend to rise during the hotter weather. We all know that these are high in sugar and will damage our teeth if eaten and drunk in excess. Try to replace soft drinks with water as much as you can and keep the number of ice creams down to a sensible level. If you notice, whilst eating ice cream or drinking anything really cold, that your teeth feel really sensitive, you could have damaged your teeth; so please make an appointment at our Neem dental clinic if you notice this.

By all means, do enjoy this rare heatwave and have a good time, but don’t forget that your teeth could suffer if you don’t take sufficient care.

Following the above guidelines is a good start, along with common sense of course. If you have any problems with your teeth during the hot weather, or at any time, please call the Neem Dental Clinic, Harrow for an appointment on 020 8423 2523.