Oral Care also in the summer
Travellers want to have perfect teeth in their holiday photos.
With summer just around the corner, many people are planning their holidays. Which destination should they choose this year? Hot? Cold? Beach and relaxation or mountains and hiking? Everyone chooses what best suits them, but many people are particularly keen to be “seen” at their best on their holiday photos: it is the ideal time for dental professionals to highlight the importance of oral care for the summer, offering specific products that help maintain a perfect smile even away from home.
The Importance of Personal Care on Holiday
According to the recent TripAdvisor 2024 report on travel habits, personal care is 5 times greater when planning a holiday. Personal hygiene is important for everyone involved, but it is worth noting that oral hygiene takes a prominent position: a must-have to take care of during the holidays for 78%. It goes without saying that many travellers are willing to invest in products and services that improve their well-being precisely in view of summer holidays.
This trend represents a good opportunity to promote oral hygiene as a fundamental part of personal care especially in the summer.
Furthermore, according to research conducted by the American Dental Association (ADA), interest in oral hygiene products increases significantly during the summer season. A 2023 survey revealed that 70% of repliers consider oral care a crucial part of their travel routine, with a 15% increase compared to the winter months. This behaviour is particularly evident among younger travellers and families, who are more likely to bring travel toothbrushes, mouthwashes and other oral hygiene products with them
Why does oral hygiene remain a priority even on vacation?
We think that the main reasons could be a mixture of cultural and psychological factors.
Taking control:
When we travel we find ourselves in a new, unknown, happy and carefree environment but also potentially “risky” (at least until we settle in): taking care of your oral hygiene can be a way to reaffirm your sense of control.
Prevention is always better than treatment:
Let’s talk more rationally: how annoying is it to have to interrupt a holiday for a health problem? We know that oral hygiene is important for preventing diseases and infections, which can create problems during your most important relaxation throughout the whole year.
In addition, as the Tripadvisor report reports, the consumption of alcohol, snacks and fast food increases during holidays both during the journey and once you arrive at your destination. We can therefore imagine that there may be a more or less strong correlation between the increased consumption of foods and drinks, which we are aware are harmful to healthy teeth, and the care of oral hygiene.
My appearance influences the perception that others have of me
It is said that it takes 4 to 20 seconds to understand who we have in front of us. Physical appearance is the first impression we give others of ourselves and for many people it is fundamental: taking care of your oral hygiene can help you feel more confident and attractive, especially in a social context such as a holiday where you are more likely to let yourself go with others.
In a different country, sticking to your habits makes you feel at home.
Keeping up the daily routine we are used to, including oral hygiene, can help us feel more at ease and less disoriented in a new environment. Think about when you enter a hotel room: it is usually welcoming, but not very personal. Think instead about how it changes when you start unpacking: the room begins to become your room. And this also happens by living in it and doing all those habits and rituals that you normally do at home.
So what are the opportunities for dental experts?
What better time to create new or better oral hygiene habits for patients? From the correct use of the toothbrush, to the use of dental floss and mouthwash, every subject helps reiterate and remember good prevention habits.
But it is also important not to leave patients alone at the mercy of advertising and products that boast about being miraculous but that could instead cause irreparable damage.
Being present and advising the best for patients is the ultimate goal for dental professionals: but in addition to helping when needed, all this will improve the patient’s confidence, who will feel cared for even beyond dental problems… Killing two birds with one stone, as they say!
Here are our essential products for patients’ oral hygiene! Contact us for more info!
