A Winning Smile for Every Athlete

                                      

Collisions happen to the best of athletes and injuries are sometimes unavoidable. Dental injuries are common, such as broken teeth/jaw, bleeding gums and lips.  Athletes of all ages need to protect their teeth from sport-related dental injuries as much as possible.  Here are some tips from Glendora dentists who care for athletes with sports-related injuries and other dental problems that can be prevented.

 Tips for Athletes retaining a Winning Smile from a Glendora Dentist:

1.     Wear a Mouthguard

·       According to the American Dental Association (ADA), an athlete is 60 times more likely to suffer harm to the teeth when not wearing a mouthguard.

·       Helps to cushion a blow to the face, minimizes the risk of broken teeth and injuries to the lips, tongue, face or jaw

·       Choose a mouthguard that is:

-resilient and tear-resistant

-fits properly and is comfortable

-easy to clean

-does not restrict speech or breathing

·       Types of mouthguards

-Custom-made: they are individually fabricated for fit and comfort of the patient.

-Boil and bite: can be bought at sporting goods stores and drugstores. They are softened in boiled water, inserted in the mouth, and allowed to adapt to the shape of the mouth.

-Stock: pre-formed and ready to wear. They can be bulky and can make breathing and talking difficult.

·       ADA recommendations: these are sports athlete may need a mouthguard

acrobatics

basketball                     bicycling                      boxing

equestrian events          extreme sports

field events                  field hockey                 football

gymnastics

handball

ice hockey                   inline skating

lacrosse

martial arts

racquetball                   rugby

shotputting                   skateboarding              skiing

skydiving                     soccer                          softball

squash                          surfing                        

volleyball

water polo                    weightlifting                wrestling

**Schedule regular dental checkups and visit your Glendora dentists to discuss the type of mouthguard that is right for you.

2.     Avoid Sports and Energy drinks

·       Survey by the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) showed the high acidity levels in both sports and energy drinks cause irreversible damages to the tooth enamel. 

·       Large amount of sugar and acid in sports and energy drinks cause tooth decay and tooth erosion.

·       Athletes with dental problems suffer difficulties eating, sleeping, toothache, tooth sensitivity (hot/cold drinks & foods).

·       Dental pain can impact on training time and can hinder athletes overall performance.

·       Dr. Bone, an AGD spokesperson, recommends that patients should wait at least an hour to brush their teeth after consuming sports and energy drinks to reduce the spreading of acid which causes tooth erosion.

·       Drink WATER, it is the best.  Athletes should hydrate with WATER and avoid drinking sports or energy drinks.

**If your teeth are temperature sensitive, consult with your Glendora dentists.

3.     Good Dental Health

·       Athletes should brush 2x/day and floss daily.

·       Regular dental checkups and dental cleaning every 6 months (at a minimum).

·       Consult with your Glendora dentists if there is any dental pain/discomfort.  Dental problems can impact on training time reducing performance.

·       Athletes on a travel team, bring a travel bag with a toothbrush, dental floss and mouth rinse.

**Consult with your Glendora dentists about a healthy hydration regimen for your athletic work out.