Dental Care for Athletes 101

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Dental trauma can happen to anyone. Tooth and soft tissue injuries can develop from tripping and falling on the stairs, for instance, but athletes are undoubtedly at a higher risk of dental trauma than most people. Amateur and professional athletes alike can benefit from seeing a sports dentistry specialist. A dentist who has experience working with athletes can provide appropriate recommendations for mouth protection and care.

 

Always wear your sports mouth guard.

If you don’t yet have a sports mouth guard, you need to visit a dentist right away. Over-the-counter (OTC) mouth guards are available. These are typically the “bite and boil” kind. Unfortunately, since they aren’t custom-fitted, OTC mouth guards can be uncomfortable, poorly fitted, and inadequate. As a result, athletes might be tempted to skip wearing them, leaving themselves even more vulnerable to dental trauma. Protect your smile by visiting a dentist to have a custom-fitted mouth guard made, and always wear it for practices and games. You’ll thank yourself for it the next time you get tackled, take a tumble, or get hit by a hockey puck.

 

Keep your sports mouth guard clean.

Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and toothpaste to gently brush your mouth guard after every time you wear it. Some people like to rinse the mouth guard with antiseptic mouthwash to kill germs. Afterward, rinse it in cool water, and pat it dry with a clean towel before storing it in its container. Clean the container regularly too.

 

Know what to do for an avulsed tooth.

An avulsed tooth is one that has been completely expelled from the mouth. If you act right away, your dentist can save the tooth. Just follow these rules:

 

  • Only handle a knocked-out tooth by the crown, not the root.
  • You can rinse the tooth in water, but never scrub it, dry it, or use cleaning products.
  • Gently replace the tooth in its socket if possible.
  • If you can’t replace the tooth, place it in a clean cup with tooth preservation product (available at drugstores).
  • If you lack tooth preservation liquid, use a cup of milk.
  • Get to the dentist as soon as possible.

 

The team at University Associates in Dentistry has more experience than most in treating sports-related dental trauma. We are the official sports dentists for the Chicago Blackhawks. Call our office at (312) 704-5511 to request our next available sports dentistry consultation.

 

What Athletes Need to Know About Mouth Guards

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mouth guard chicago

Injuries are always a major concern for competitive athletes. It’s why hockey players wear masks and why football players wear helmets. And while professional athletes know they need to wear a mouth guard, amateur college and high school athletes might not always be so careful about preventing oral injuries. Dentists strongly recommend putting in a mouth guard as a regular part of your pre-game routine. It can help prevent everything from missing teeth to broken bones.

Requirements of Effective Mouth Guards

There are a few different types of mouth guards, including the “boil and bite” type found in drugstores. But for optimum protection, you’ll need a custom-fitted mouth guard made by a sports dentistry specialist. The ideal mouth guard should be comfortable, fit properly, and avoid interfering with your speech or breathing. There are plenty of other technical considerations, like having the labial flange be within 2 millimeters of the sulcus, but you can let your dentist worry about those specifications.

Mechanism of Action

So how exactly do sports mouth guards prevent orofacial injuries? Primarily, it’s due to shock absorption. When the chin, jaw, or mouth takes a direct hit, the mouth guard reduces the shock and evenly distributes the rest of the impact.

Prevention of Injuries

Dentists recommend custom-fitted mouth guards because they’re effective against a range of sports-related injuries. Since they absorb the impact, they can prevent jaw fractures. They also provide cushioning when the upper and lower jaws collide together, which can prevent the dislocation or fracturing of the jaw joint. Sports-related impacts can cause another type of severe injury to the facial area: Soft tissue injuries. While it won’t protect the skin on the exterior of the mouth, a mouth guard can prevent lacerations inside the mouth.

As the team dentists for the Chicago Blackhawks, University Associates in Dentistry is known for our expertise in sports-related dental care. We take special care with each of our custom-fabricated mouth guards. If you or your child is in need of sports dentistry services near Chicago, give us a call today at (312) 704-5511.

How Mouth Guards Can Support an Active Lifestyle

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Dentists who specialize in sports dentistry, and those who don’t, all want their patients to have a healthy mouth. Whether you play a contact sport or do weekend rollerblading, a mouth guard can protect your teeth and your smile. Watch the video for a brief look at how mouth guards are necessary to maintaining an active lifestyle.

Mouth guards should be custom-made by your dentist to fit your mouth. This perfect fit ensures that no matter what happens during your active lifestyle—such as falling down or getting hit with a ball—your teeth will be as protected as possible. A mouth guard can prevent knock-out and missing teeth, which will negate the need for future teeth implants.

See your dentist in Chicago at University Associates in Dentistry to learn more about mouth guards . We want you to have the perfect smile, so don’t hesitate to call us at (312) 704-5511.

Check out the Chicago Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane’s star-spangled mouthguard created by UAD here .

Protect Your Teeth with a Custom Mouth guard

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If you live an active lifestyle or play sports, you may be in danger of damaging your teeth. Whether you’re playing a contact sport like football, or just playing tennis or rollerblading, you are subject to injuries that can knock out or damage your teeth. Wearing a custom mouth guard when participating in high contact activities can protect your mouth and teeth from injury.

Watch this video to learn more about how to protect your teeth with a custom mouth guard. Mouth guards that are custom made are much more comfortable and useful than the equipment of the past.

If you’re interested in visiting a sports dentist in Chicago to discuss custom mouth guards, call us at University Associates in dentistry. We will design and fabricate a mouth guard for you that is made to fit your mouth , just like we do for the Chicago Blackhawks!!! Call us today at (312) 704-5511 to schedule a free consultation.

The Importance of Mouthguards for Athletes

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Athletes are especially vulnerable to injuries to the head and the face. Whether you play a contact sport such as hockey or an individual sport such as gymnastics, it is important to protect your mouth area. Mouthguards can prevent unnecessary sporting injuries. Keep reading to learn more about the importance of resources like mouthguards for sports dentistry near Chicago:

Custom mouthguards cover up the teeth to absorb most of the pressure of a blow to the face. This reduces the risk for breaking the teeth and injuring the mouth, the cheek, or the tongue. Mouthguards help to protect orthodontia like braces and significantly lowers your risk for soft tissue injuries.

Come to University Associates in Dentistry to get a custom mouthguard that keeps your teeth safe while you play any kind of sport. As the team dentist for the Chicago Blackhawks, we know how to make mouthguards and we know what it takes to maintain a beautiful and healthy smile. To learn more about our services and how we can help you, visit us online or call (312) 704-5511.

University Associates in Dentistry