10 Apr Athletics and Dental Health: A Few Tips to Protect Teeth
Athletics require a considerable amount of time/practice to become proficient. Players in all sports practice and practice to become better, stronger athletes. And most athletes are incredibly careful as to their diet; athletes are mostly considered picky eaters, consuming beneficial calories, drinking plenty of water, etc. And a diet that avoids sugary drinks and foods—food and drink with empty calories (heavily-processed food, sodas, candies, etc.)—is also terrific for the mouth. A mouth that isn’t overly exposed to poor food and drink choices is a happy, healthy mouth. So, perhaps without knowing it, athletes are participating in quality mouth health. But there are a few other ways an athlete should also pay attention to his or her mouth health.
The first of which is to make a quality mouth care routine and stick to it. Brush the teeth twice each and every day, and floss at least once. A damaged tooth is a compromised tooth; even a tooth with a filling is less strong than a healthy, intact tooth. So, keep to the regular dental care. And in addition to the regular care, everyone—whether an athlete or not—should keep to regular visits with his or her dentist at Silver Creek Family Dental. Every six months you should have your teeth cleaned, and have your dentist check your mouth for any changes/possible signs of potential problems.
Also remember to wear a quality dentist-approved mouth guard anytime you are participating in a sport (You dentist can even help you customize a mouth guard). A mouth guard will protect an athlete’s teeth, gum tissue, jaw, etc., and the mouth guard should become an absolute necessity, even when the sport doesn’t require the constant use of one (Basketball? Baseball?). If an athlete struggles at first to get accustomed to his or her mouth guard, know that after a very short while the mouth guard will feel like another piece of the uniform ensemble; it will become second nature to wear the mouth guard anytime he or she plays sports.
If you have any questions about mouth guards, or if it’s time to schedule your next appointment with your dentist at Silver Creek Family Dental, then call today.
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