Mouth Guards: Sports Equipment that Protects the Smile

It’s easy to take some things for granted until they’re suddenly gone. Have you ever thought about how it would feel if you lost one or two of your front teeth? You’d probably avoid smiling. It would be uncomfortable talking with someone face-to-face. It wouldn’t be easy pronouncing certain words. And how about eating an apple? Until your teeth are gone, you might not miss them.

Each year, thousands of teens get hurt on the playing field, the basketball court, or while skateboarding, biking or during other activities. Blows to the face in nearly every sport can injure your teeth, lips, cheeks and tongue.

A properly fitted mouth guard, or mouth protector, is an important piece of athletic gear that can protect your teeth and smile. You may have seen them used in contact sports, such as football, boxing, and ice hockey.

However, you don’t have to be on the football field to benefit from a mouth guard. New findings in sports dentistry show that even in non-contact sports such as gymnastics, rollerblading, and field hockey, mouth guards help protect teeth. Many experts recommend that a mouth guard be worn for any recreational activity that poses a risk of injury to the mouth.

There are three types of mouth guards: The ready-made, or stock, mouth guard; the mouth-formed “boil and bite” mouth guard; and the custom-made mouth guard made by your dentist. All three mouth guards provide protection but vary in comfort and cost.

The most effective mouth guard should have several features: It should be resilient, tear-resistant and comfortable. It should fit properly, be durable and easy to clean, and not restrict your speech or breathing.

Generally, a mouth guard covers only the upper teeth, but in some cases the dentist will instead make a mouth guard for the lower teeth. Your dentist can suggest the right mouth guard for you.

Here are some suggestions for taking good care of your mouth guard:

Before and after each use, rinse it with cold water or with an antiseptic mouth rinse. You can clean it with toothpaste and a toothbrush, too.

When it’s not used, place your mouth guard in a firm, perforated container. This permits air circulation and helps prevent damage.

Avoid high temperatures, such as hot water, hot surfaces or direct sunlight, which can distort the mouth guard.

Check it for tears, holes and poor fit. A mouth guard that’s torn or in bad shape can irritate your mouth and lessen the amount of protection it provides.

Have regular dental checkups and bring your mouth guard along so the dentist can make sure it’s still in good condition.

Don’t take your teeth for granted. Protect your smile with a mouth guard.

For more tips or fun activity sheets for children, visit http://www.ada.org/prof/events/featured/ncdhm.asp.

© 2010 American Dental Association (ADA). All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission from the ADA. On the Web at: http://www.ada.org/prof/events/featured/ncdhm.asp.

Sipping, Snacking and Tooth Decay

Many parents across the country will issue a common refrain at dinnertime tonight: “You’d better eat that–it’s good for you!”

There’s another old favorite in the parental arsenal of dietary admonitions: “Don’t eat that—it’ll rot your teeth!”

Now more than ever, kids are faced with a bewildering array of food choices — from fresh produce to sugar-laden processed convenience meals and snack foods. What children eat and when they eat it may affect not only their general health but also their oral health.

Americans are consuming foods and drinks high in sugar and starches more often and in larger portions than ever before. It’s clear that junk foods and drinks gradually have replaced nutritious beverages and foods for many people. For example, the average teenage boy in the U.S. consumes 81 gallons of soft drinks each year!

Alarmingly, a steady diet of sugary foods and drinks can ruin teeth, especially among those who snack throughout the day. Common activities may contribute to the tendency toward tooth decay. These include ―grazing habitually on foods with minimal nutritional value, and frequently sipping on sugary drinks.

When sugar is consumed over and over again in large, often hidden amounts, the harmful effect on teeth can be dramatic. Sugar on teeth provides food for bacteria, which produce acid. The acid in turn can eat away the enamel on teeth.

Almost all foods have some type of sugar that cannot and should not be eliminated from our diets. Many of these foods contain important nutrients and add enjoyment to eating. But there is a risk for tooth decay from a diet high in sugars and starches. Starches can be found in everything from bread to pretzels to salad dressing, so read labels and plan carefully for a balanced, nutritious diet for you and your kids.

Reduce your children’s risk of tooth decay:

1. Sugary foods and drinks should be consumed with meals. Saliva production increases during meals and helps neutralize acid production and rinse food particles from the mouth.
2. Limit between-meal snacks. If kids crave a snack, offer them nutritious foods, like nuts, cheese and fruit.
3. If your kids chew gum, make it sugarless – Chewing sugarless gum after eating can increase saliva flow and help wash out food and decay-producing acid.
4. Monitor beverage consumption – Instead of soft drinks or sugary juice all day, children should also choose water and low-fat milk.
5. Help your children develop good brushing and flossing habits.
6. Schedule regular dental visits.

For more tips or fun activity sheets for children, visit http://www.ada.org/prof/events/featured/ncdhm.asp.

© 2010 American Dental Association (ADA). All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission from the ADA. On the Web at: http://www.ada.org/prof/events/featured/ncdhm.asp.

February is Children’s Dental Health Month

This month is National Children’s Dental Health Month, an awareness program sponsored by the American Dental Association.  To raise awareness, BEST Life will publish articles promoting oral health for children on a weekly basis.

Tips to keeping a healthy smile

If the economy is making you think twice about going to the dentist, you may want to reconsider.  The American Dental Hygienists’ Association estimates that every $1 spent on oral preventive care (meaning those cleanings and check-ups at least twice a year) saves $8 to $50 on restorative and emergency procedures.  A crown or even a root canal can really add up.  

How can you save money on dental care?  The trick is to keep those teeth healthy so that all you need is just a cleaning when you visit the dentist.  Here is a good article on some home care methods to keep those pearly whites white:

Top Ten Budget Tips to Keep Your Teeth Healthy

INeedDentalBenefits.com

We are always looking for websites that provide a lot of value for our customers.  Most of these we post on our General Health web page.  Here is another one: I Need Dental Benefits.  This is a consumer website run by NADP (National Association of Dental Plans).  It has a lot of useful data and statistics for both the employee and the employer.  Check it out!