DENTAL DILEMMAS – Dr Karim Rachidi from Synergy Dental Clinics helps with advice on dental problems

Q. I’m off to a couple of festivals soon – any tips on how I can look after my teeth on the go?

A. With the excitement that going to a music festival brings, you can be forgiven for not packing the right essentials in order to ensure that you can take the best care of your teeth. You’re filled with the excitement of watching your favourite music acts and gathering with friends to get away for a few days, amongst thousands of like-minded people who enjoy the same interest as you.

But it is essential, at a music festival more than anything, to ensure you’re well equipped to look after your teeth and give them the best care.

A recent study from the Oral Health Foundation found that 10 per cent of people that attend festivals do not brush their teeth for the duration of the entire event and around 40 per cent do so one time or less per day.

With less than 15 per cent having already attended a festival, or still planning on making their way to one over the summer, literally hundreds of thousands of revellers are putting their dental health at risk without recognising the consequences that they could bring.

One thing to bear in mind is that usually at festivals, it can be really easy to forget about looking after your teeth but if you’re neglecting your oral health, it could have serious consequences going forward.

What you eat and drink at festivals is not really perfect for your teeth – with there being a lot of sugary and acidic foods and drinks being consumed as well as high quantities of alcohol – which means you should really make it even more of a priority to look after your teeth.

Another danger you should be aware of exposing your mouth to is the combination of smoking and drinking. It is quite easy to be a social smoker in the environment of a festival but in actual fact, you’re increasing your chances of getting gum disease up to three times more than someone who doesn’t drink and smoke. It is also one of the main causes of tooth loss in adults and is linked to a whole host of other diseases such as diabetes, mouth cancer, strokes and heart disease.

So, when you are packing for a festival, make sure one of the first things you pack are your toothbrush and a fluoride toothpaste as well as some sugar-free chewing gum to go with that.

Usually after you eat or drink anything sugary, including alcoholic cocktails, your teeth are under attack from the acid for up to an hour afterwards – which increases the chances of your teeth decaying, causing bad breath and at times, even tooth loss.

Therefore, chewing gum afterwards increases the production of saliva in your mouth and helps to neutralise the acids that are present within your mouth, too. Brushing your teeth twice a day – once in the morning and once before bed – will help to keep your teeth in the best possible condition and allow you to have a the best possible time, too.

For more information about dental issues, contact Synergy Dental Clinics Blackburn, email blackburn@synergydental.org.uk or go to synergydental.org.uk/dentist-in-blackburn