News

Dental Squadron offers advice about guarding the athlete's smile

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Nicholasa Reed
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
The American Dental Association estimates mouth-guard use prevents about 200,000 injuries yearly in high school and collegiate football alone.

"Using a mouth guard is protection for the mouth, just like wearing a helmet to protect your head when biking or skating," said Master Sgt. Daniel Louviere, 48th Dental Squadron, Records element flight NCOIC.

The 48th Dental Squadron clinic provides free boil-and-bite mouth guards to active duty individuals and their families.

Use of a mouth guard can prevent serious injuries such as jaw fractures, cerebral hemorrhages and neck injuries by helping to avoid situations where the lower jaw may impact the upper jaw, according to the ADA. It is also effective in moving soft tissue in the oral cavity away from the teeth, avoiding laceration and bruising of the lips and cheeks.

Dentist advise people who participate in the following sports to wear a mouth guard -
· Basketball
· Bicycling
· Boxing
· Football
· Gymnastics
· Martial arts
· Rugby
· Skateboarding
· Volleyball
· Wrestling

The ADA advises individuals looking for a mouth guard to look for several features. A quality mouth guard should be resilient, tear-resistant and comfortable, advises the association. It should also fit properly, be durable, easy to clean and not restrict speech or breathing.

Athletes have three types of mouth guards to choose from; stock, boil-and-bite or custom made.

Stock mouth guards are the cheapest in value, and offer the least protection because fitting adjustment is limited. Stock guards may interfere with speaking and breathing because it requires the jaw to be closed to hold it in place. They are not recommended as a facial protective device.

Boil-and-bite guards are used by more than 90 percent of all athletes.

"The boil-and-bite mouth guards are formed by placing the mouth guard in hot water for about 20 to 30 seconds," said Sergeant Louviere.

"Immediately after, individuals can transfer the guard to cold water for a couple of seconds and place the guard in their mouth and bite for 30 seconds to adapt the guard to the teeth. Individuals should be sure to apply equal pressure from top and bottom," continued Sergeant Louviere.

Youth may need the ends of the guard cut off to avoid choking or discomfort due to the smaller size of their jaws.

The fit of the boil-and-bite guard is better than stock guards, but they do have a short life span.

The best fitted guard is custom made. They are recommended by most dentists because they offer the best protection, fit and comfort level.

An evaluation for a custom mouth guard can be arranged for individuals who have problems wearing the off-the-shelf type of mouth guards by scheduling an appointment with the clinic, said Sergeant Louviere.

Custom-made guards are not recommended for youth. Fitted guards may alter teeth growth in youth under 15 years old because their teeth are still developing.

No matter what type of mouth guard individuals obtain, proper maintenance will lengthen the mouth guard's lifespan.

Some care tips from the ADA are:

· Clean your mouth guard by washing it with soap and warm water.
· Before storing, soak your mouth guards in mouthwash.
· Keep your mouth guard in a well-ventilated plastic storage box when not in use. Make sure the mouth guard can dry.
· Heat can be harmful to mouth guards, avoid direct sunlight and areas where it can get too warm and distort.
· Do not bend mouth guards when storing.
· Do not handle or wear someone else's mouth guard.

For more information, contact the dental clinic at 226-8800.