A Memorial Day Thank You — And Your Summer Dental Checklist
This Memorial Day, we want to pause before talking about anything else. Before the grills fire up and the lawn chairs come out across Londonderry, Derry, Manchester, and the towns in between — we want to take a moment to honor the men and women who gave everything so that we could enjoy days exactly like this one.
At Nanarao Krothapalli DMD PLLC , we are grateful to be part of a community that takes pride in remembering those who served. To every veteran, active-duty service member, and Gold Star family in New Hampshire — thank you. Your sacrifice is not forgotten, and your courage continues to inspire us. This weekend, and every day, we honor your memory.
As we come together with family and friends to celebrate the start of summer, we also want to make sure your smile is ready for every backyard BBQ, beach trip, and outdoor adventure ahead. Read on for our summer dental checklist — practical tips to keep your teeth and gums healthy all season long.
Watch What You Eat at the Cookout
Memorial Day weekend kicks off the cookout season in full force, and with it comes a spread of foods that your teeth have mixed feelings about. Corn on the cob, ribs, burgers with sticky sauces, and pasta salads full of vinegar — these are summer staples, but they can take a toll on your enamel and gum health if you're not careful. The combination of sugars, acids, and sticky textures creates an environment where bacteria thrive and plaque builds up faster than you might expect.
Chewy and sticky foods like BBQ sauce, baked beans, and corn on the cob kernels can linger between teeth long after the meal is over. If you're wearing orthodontic appliances or have dental restorations like crowns or bridges, these foods require extra caution. Hard foods — ice, crusty bread, hard candies — can chip teeth or crack existing dental work, especially when you're relaxing and not thinking about it. Take your time, chew carefully, and try not to use your teeth as tools (no opening bottle caps!).
The good news: summer cookouts also offer plenty of tooth-friendly options. Grilled chicken, cheese, raw veggies, and water-rich foods like watermelon and cucumber are all great choices for your smile. Load up on those alongside the ribs, and your teeth will thank you come morning.
Summer Drinks and Your Enamel
One of the biggest threats to your dental health during summer is what you're drinking. Lemonade, iced tea, sports drinks, sparkling water with citrus, and alcoholic beverages are all popular at summer gatherings — and most of them are highly acidic or sugary. Acid erodes the protective enamel on your teeth over time, making them more sensitive and more vulnerable to decay. Sugar feeds the bacteria in your mouth that produce even more acid.
Soda is especially problematic because it combines both high sugar and high acidity in every sip. Even diet sodas, which lack sugar, are still acidic enough to wear down enamel with regular exposure. Sports drinks marketed as healthy alternatives often contain as much sugar as a candy bar. If you're spending a day at a lake near Litchfield, Hudson, or Windham, or attending a backyard party in Londonderry, it's easy to go through several cans without thinking twice.
The best thing you can do is make water your primary drink throughout the day. Water rinses away food particles and acids, keeps you hydrated, and if it's fluoridated — as most New Hampshire municipal water is — it actually helps strengthen your enamel. If you're enjoying a sugary or acidic drink, use a straw to minimize contact with your teeth, and rinse your mouth with water afterward. Avoid brushing immediately after acidic drinks, as the enamel is temporarily softened and more susceptible to abrasion — wait at least 30 minutes first.
Kids Home From School: Managing the Snack Surge
Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, which means school is wrapping up and kids will soon be home all day. That shift in schedule brings a predictable challenge for parents: the summer snacking marathon. When children are home and less structured, they tend to graze throughout the day — reaching for chips, juice boxes, granola bars, fruit snacks, and popsicles at any given hour. Each snacking episode is a new opportunity for bacteria to produce acids in the mouth.
Dental professionals consistently find that the frequency of sugar exposure matters as much as the total amount consumed. A child who eats candy once after dinner gives their mouth time to recover between exposures. A child who nibbles sugary snacks throughout the day is subjecting their teeth to near-constant acid attacks. Try to set defined snack times rather than allowing all-day grazing, and encourage rinsing with water after eating.
Summer is also a great time to schedule your children's dental cleanings. Schools are out, schedules are more flexible, and there's no homework deadline looming over the appointment. If your kids haven't had their biannual checkup yet, now is the ideal time to get that booked before summer gets into full swing.
Your Summer Dental Checklist
Here's a quick checklist to keep your smile on track from Memorial Day through Labor Day:
- Schedule your summer cleaning: If you're due for a checkup, don't let summer slip by without it. Early booking means more flexible appointment times.
- Pack a dental kit for travel: Road trips and summer vacations shouldn't mean skipping your oral hygiene routine. Keep a travel toothbrush, floss, and toothpaste ready to go.
- Protect smiles during sports: If your kids are playing summer sports — soccer, baseball, basketball — a custom mouthguard can prevent costly dental injuries.
- Stay hydrated with water: Aim for plain water as your primary beverage throughout the day, especially during outdoor activities in the New Hampshire heat.
- Don't skip flossing: Summer foods are notorious for getting stuck between teeth. Floss daily, especially after cookouts and sticky summer snacks.
- Check in on tooth sensitivity: If the heat, cold drinks, or sweet foods are causing sharp tooth sensitivity, that's a signal worth mentioning to your dentist — don't ignore it all summer.
Nanarao Krothapalli DMD PLLC — Smiles of NH
From all of us at Nanarao Krothapalli DMD PLLC, we wish you and your family a safe, meaningful, and joyful Memorial Day weekend. Whether you're honoring a loved one who served, gathering with neighbors in Londonderry, or heading up toward the White Mountains for the long weekend — we hope it's a beautiful start to summer.
When you're ready to schedule your summer dental appointment, we're here for you. Contact Smiles of NH today to book your cleaning or checkup. Call us at (603) 432-6430 or visit us at 25 Nashua Rd #3, Londonderry, NH 03053. We proudly serve patients from Derry, Manchester, Litchfield, Hudson, Windham, Auburn, and throughout southern New Hampshire.
