Athletes and Oral Health

The rigorous dietary plans and exercise regimes could place athletes at a disadvantage where oral health is concerned and for more reasons than one. Protein boosters, high energy drinks, dietary supplement, and weight control meals mostly contain high sucrose and high acid contents that actually wear the finish off the tooth’s protective surface – the enamel.


Combining Upscale Dental Care with Athletic Regimes

Sports group experts, high profile athletes, athletic medication professionals, and dental advisors all agree and support the fact that money, time and effort is vital for maintaining the superb level of performance displayed by athletes.  They also state that basic oral care regimes can be implemented to improve overall dental health while maintaining prime functioning for athletes and stay within the budget.  Ordinary procedures like improved brushing skills and high fluoride toothpastes would deter toothaches which lead to head and neck pains that make sleeping and training virtually impossible.  The collaborative effort of proper oral care and standard dietary and training are what make the difference between gold or silver winners.

Child Athlete Dental Protection


It is recommended that every athlete, regardless of age, sex, or performance level, should have a mouth guard as part of their equipment.  All athletes should purchase and use mouth guards from the time they begin any type of sport.  The ADA works in connection with dentists and offers valuable information in their brochure, entitled Sports Safety, to inform parents and children about facial protection.

Kingsland Dental Group: Dentist with a Passion for Quality Care


For more than 30 years, Kingsland DentalGroup has served clients with the most comprehensive dental care available. We provide our clients with innovative dental techniques to keep their teeth healthy and looking great. Whether you are interested in taking preventative measures or looking to correct any “wear and tear”, we can help. Not only do we provide the basics like tooth cleaning, fillings, and checkups, we also provide:

• Full smile makeovers

• Dental implants

• Use laser dental technology

• Repair damaged teeth

• Provide KOR, the most innovative technique in tooth whitening

• The KOR tooth whitening system is the newest innovation in tooth whitening treatments.  This procedure is effective on teeth which were formerly thought to be incurably stained.  This safe, comfortable process will have your teeth looking brand new.

• Provide non-surgical gum therapy

• Perform root canals

• Insert porcelain inlays and onlays

If you have any question or would like to make an appointment, give us a call at (281) 646-8888 and one of our staff would be happy to help!

What To Do When You Lose a Tooth

When it comes to tooth removal, there are really only two ways to do it: 1) go to your dentist to have a carefully planned surgical procedure to extract the tooth or 2) experience a traumatic event that results in the tooth falling out. Some of the most common ways to lose a tooth include:

• Accidental falls
• Sports-related trauma
• Fighting
• Car accidents
• Biting on hard food

Losing a permanent tooth is always a dental emergency and never something you want to take lightly or dismiss. The sooner you get the tooth and yourself to the dentist, the more likely your dentist will be able to save the tooth. Here are a few things you should do to have the best chance of saving the tooth: 

1. Find the tooth!
2. Pick it up by the crown (top portion) of the tooth , NOT the fleshy root. If the tooth does look dirty, use sterile saline solutions, milk or saliva. Do NOT scrub the root or touch it. You could end up compromising the vital tissue and cause the tooth to die.
3. Preserve the tooth for transport to the dentist in one of the following ways:
• Try to put the tooth back in its socket so it is level with the other teeth. Bite down gently on a gauze or a clean washcloth until you get to the dentist. Be careful not to swallow the tooth.
• If the tooth will not go back in place, put it in a clean container with milk or saline solution. Do NOT put it in water. Water does not preserve the tooth as well which will make it less likely that the tooth can be saved and re-implanted.
• If you do not have a container handy, you can also carry the tooth tucked in between your gums and cheek or under your tongue. Again, be sure not to swallow the tooth.
• If you have a home emergency medical kit, you can preemptively purchase a tooth saving storage device like Save-A-Tooth or EMT Tooth Saver. It may be worth it to have a kit like this handy (especially if you have kids in sports) just in case an accident happens. These kits run at about $12 to $20 and have the potential to save you thousands of dollars replacing the tooth with an implant.
  
  
  
4. Go to the dentist immediately! Here at Kingsland Dental, we always have a doctor on call. Simply call our office at (281)646-8888 to let us know about your dental emergency and that you are on your way. If it is after hours or on the weekend, our phones roll over to an answering service where a live person can direct your call and arrange for the on call doctor to see you. If, for whatever reason, you are unable to reach the dentist, you can always go to an emergency medical hospital.

What if my child's baby tooth falls out?

If a baby tooth falls out, definitely bring them in to see the dentist, however, there really is no point in putting the tooth back in. The best thing to do is comfort your child and make sure they are not in pain. Then, call the dentist for an emergency visit. The dentist will not be able to save the tooth but they can give your child antibiotics to prevent an infection and in severe cases they may give pain relievers to make them feel better. It may also be necessary to get a space maintainer. This device keeps the surrounding teeth from crowding into the newly formed gap and allows space for the future permanent tooth to grow.

What if my tooth does not come all the way out but feels loose?

It is still necessary to visit your dentist. Letting your dentist take a look greatly increases the chances that they can save the tooth from dying or falling out later and make sure that you do not get an infection.

Tips for Prevention:

• Wear a mouth guard when playing any contact sport*
• Avoid fights
• Avoid hard foods such as bones, stale bread, unpopped popcorn kernels, etc.
• Always wear a seat belt

*According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the list of sports with the most common dental injuries includes football, basketball, baseball/softball, soccer, hockey, skateboarding, gymnastics, and martial arts. A mouth guard should be a standard part of the uniform for these sports. If you or your child finds that a store-bought mouth guard is not comfortable, you can get a customized one from your dentist.

Remember: Losing a permanent tooth is always a dental emergency. Seeing your dentist as soon as possible gives you the best chance to save the tooth and stave off the possibility of infection. Even if the tooth cannot be saved, your dentist will be able to give you options to replace the missing tooth in order to prevent the open space from effecting the rest of your teeth.

If you have any questions or are experiencing a dental emergency, call us at (281)646-8888.

Sources:

Health Day

Medline Plus

Avoid Sports-Related Dental Injuries by Wearing a Mouthguard

Now that football season is rolling around, people of all ages will pick up the old pig skin, thinking they can replicate the incredible feats of athleticism they see on their TVs. The weather is cooling down and many of us will pick up basketballs, footballs, baseball bats and so on for some exercise. 

Unfortunately, games of pickup football and other sports often lead to some nasty injuries, many of which involve the teeth, lips, tongue and other parts of the mouth.

Sports Put Your Oral Health at Risk

If you are the parent of a student or if you are still active enough to play sports yourself, it is imperative that you have a mouthguard on hand. Wearing a mouthguard can mean the difference between extensive surgery with the dentist and the preservation of perfect oral health. 

About a half a century ago, one in two high school football injuries were to the mouth or other parts of the face. Mouthguards have reduced this rate to a mere two percent. The same is true in other sports like basketball, boxing, hockey, lacrosse and so on. 

The results of a nine-year study that concluded in 2007 at the University of Southern California show that basketball players have the highest rate of dental traumatic injuries of all college sports. Share this information with your children so they know just how tough basketball can be on their teeth. 

Avoid a Trip to the Dentist With a Mouthguard

Do not let your kids go with the flow and play outdoor contact sports without a mouthguard. Their friends might not wear mouthguards, but that should not mean that your kids' teeth go unprotected. 

Let your kids use stock mouthguards like the ones available in school. Sometimes, these fit poorly and do not protect as comprehensively as other types of mouthguards. There is also a boil and bite style of mouthguard that provides a better fit and spreads out force distribution. 

Or, you can opt for a custom fabricated mouthguard for the young athlete in your life. It provides considerable protection, longevity and comfort. Don't be afraid to shell out for one of these means of protection. A well-protected mouth is much cheaper than a bloody mouth that requires extensive surgery.