Smile Safety for Active Kids

Active kids call for active safety. And while helmets, goggles and knee pads protect your kids’ bodies, it's also important to protect their teeth. A mouthguard is an easy, reliable way to safeguard your child’s teeth during sports and play.

 

Mouthguards are especially crucial during contact sports such as football, hockey or boxing, where blows to the body and face are regular occurrences. But even non-contact sports, such as gymnastics, and recreational pastimes, such as skating or biking, pose a risk to the teeth.

 

In addition to cushioning your child’s teeth, using a mouthguard can prevent injury to the tongue, lips, face and jaw. Kids who wear dental braces should be especially careful to protect their mouths during physical activity.

 

A trip to the dentist can help you choose a mouthguard that’s right for your child. In general, there are three types of mouthguards to choose from:

 

- Stock Mouthguards. These pre-made protectors can usually be bought wherever sporting equipment is sold. Most dentists do not recommend their use because they cannot be adjusted to your mouth and provide only limited protection.

 

- Boil-and-Bite Mouthguards. Boil-and-Bite guards are softened with hot water and then molded over your child’s teeth. This somewhat custom fit leads to better protection and greater ease in talking and breathing. These are also available at most sporting goods stores.

 

- Custom Mouthguards. Your dentist can create a custom mouthguard designed specifically for your child’s teeth. These offer the best fit, comfort and protection, but may be more costly than store-bought varieties.


Tagawa & Curtis Orthodontics - www.breasmiles.com - 714.990.5414

Flossing Is Worth It!

Flossing might not headline the list of favorite activities, but it is an investment that pays off over time. Taking a few minutes to floss at the end of each day is well worth the trouble for those who want to keep their teeth for life.

A good job brushing your teeth can remove as much as 60% of debris, but that leaves the other 40% between your teeth, where your toothbrush cannot reach. In these areas, plaque filled with bacteria forms. The bacteria excrete acids that can damage the tooth surface, eventually causing cavities.

Flossing also protects the area at the base of the teeth, where gum disease, the leading cause of tooth loss, can get a foothold. Gum disease can also affect the supporting bone under the teeth, causing the face to age prematurely.

Floss comes in a number of different forms. Those who have more space between their teeth often prefer flatter floss, while those with narrow spaces prefer thin floss. Various implements to help patients floss are readily available to make the task easier than ever.

So ... start flossing today!

Extra Cavity Protection

You might think that cavities are inevitable for kids, but in truth, they’re not. A healthy diet mixed with good oral hygiene (brushing and flossing) plus regular dental visits can prevent tooth decay. Dental sealants can reduce the risk even more. In fact, studies show that dental sealants can reduce decay in school children by 70%.

 

Dental sealants are thin plastic coatings that are applied to the grooves of back teeth, where tooth decay is usually a problem for kids and teens. Sealants act as a barrier between the chewing surfaces by blocking pieces of food and germs.

 

Sealants work best on permanent molars, which usually erupt at age 6. It’s best to have sealants applied soon after the permanent molars erupt so that decay doesn’t have a chance to develop.

 

Because they’re so thin, dental sealants won’t have an effect on your child’s speech or make chewing difficult. Sealants can be clear or slightly tinted; either way, they’re virtually invisible to the naked eye.

 

Though they don’t take much time to apply, sealants can last 5-10 years. Dental sealants are some of the most comfortable, cost- and tooth-saving solutions around! 

Tagawa & Curtis Orthodontics - www.breasmiles.com - 714.990.5414