Many kids keep busy during the summer months off from school by playing on organized sports leagues. As a parent, you want to do everything you can to encourage physical activity and sportsmanship while keeping your child safe at the same time. It’s important to protect his or her teeth and jaws as well as other parts of the body. We encourage you to speak to your regular dentist at Mesilla Valley Family Dentistry to learn more about our customized mouth guards.

The American Dental Association on the Importance of Mouth Guards

An injury to the mouth can knock out teeth, push your child’s upper and lower rows of teeth out of alignment, and cause several other significant injuries. The good news is that it’s possible to prevent most of these injuries simply by wearing a mouth guard. In fact, the American Dental Association (ADA) estimates that including this piece of safety equipment helps to prevent more than 200,000 oral injuries every year.

Most youth sports leagues require participants to wear protective equipment such as helmets, shin pads, goggles, and shoulder pads. Unfortunately, it’s rare for them to require the use of a mouth guard except in hockey. The ADA hopes that its statistics will help change that. Approximately 85 percent of children do not wear mouth guards when playing organized sports according to this well-respected dental organization. Additionally, injuries to the teeth and jaw are the most common type of facial injury in youth sports today.

Playing a sport such as football, lacrosse, basketball, soccer, baseball, martial arts, and wrestling all increase the likelihood that your child will sustain a mouth injury. While you can’t eliminate the risk entirely, you can reduce the possibility of your child losing a tooth, breaking a jaw, or sustaining another significant injury by insisting that he or she wear a mouth guard as a condition of playing sports.

What to Expect When Your Child Receives a Customized Mouth Guard

You can find a one-size-fits-all mouth guard at any sporting goods store. However, we don’t recommend using them because everyone has a unique mouth shape and the device may slide around or fit too tightly. We start the process of creating a customized mouth guard by taking an impression of your child’s upper and lower rows of teeth. Our dentists then mold the impression into a custom-fit mouth guard. Your child should only require one appointment for fitting in most cases.

Caring for the New Mouth Guard

Like all oral appliances, mouth guards wear out eventually. Here is what your child needs to do to keep it lasting as long as possible:

• Store in a protective case when not in use
• Never chew on the device
• Keep it out of the hot sun to prevent melting
• Gently scrub the mouth guard with toothpaste after each use, rinse it with water,
  and dry it off before storing

Children grow quickly, especially during the teen years. We recommend bringing your young athlete in at the start of each new season to determine if he or she needs a replacement mouth guard. Please don’t hesitate to contact our Las Cruces, New Mexico dental office if you have additional questions.

While the foods we eat affect the health of our teeth and gums, the same is true of the beverages we drink. Unfortunately, people sometimes overlook this fact when trying to find the cause of their oral health issues.

Because drinks have even more contact with teeth than food does, it’s important to look at the ingredients in the things you drink most often. Many soft drinks, for example, have high sugar and acid content that can cause issues such as tooth decay, a weakening of tooth enamel, and sensitivity. If you’re looking for ways to improve your oral health by what you drink, we offer some suggestions for healthy beverages as well as what to limit or avoid.

You Can’t Go Wrong with Milk, Water, or Tea

Milk has a reputation of being great for bone strength, but it also has the same effect on teeth. The Vitamin D and calcium in milk are especially good for teeth because they help to form a barrier that prevents tooth decay.

Water, whether it’s mineralized or straight from your tap, has important oral health benefits. Bottled water with added minerals contains calcium phosphate, an important element to help strengthen tooth enamel. Water from your faucet is full of fluoride that also strengthens teeth and does a good job at removing food particles.

Green or herbal tea is a good drink choice because both varieties contain antioxidant ingredients that help to prevent tooth staining. Instead of reaching for a glass of wine or soda known to stain your teeth, consider this healthy alternative instead.

Beverages That Can Damage Your Teeth

If you’re a soda lover, the fact that it’s bad for your teeth is one more reason to give it up. The high sugar content, which can be found in both regular and diet sodas, erode tooth enamel and cause tooth staining. When soda is your only option, be sure to drink a glass of water with the equal number of ounces as soon as you can.

Coffee, wine, and black tea are all dark drinks that contribute to teeth staining. If you feel you must have them, consider using a straw to keep as much of the liquid off your teeth as possible. Look for lighter colored alternatives of these beverages as well. Other drinks you may want to avoid include fruit juice for its high acid content and non-mineral bottled water since the bottling process strips it of fluoride. Choosing a fluoride supplement can help to make up for this if you have come to enjoy the flavor of pure bottled water.

Feel free to contact us at Mesilla Valley Family Dentistry if you would like more tips on choosing drinks that improve your oral health rather than potentially harm it.

Our Mission Statement

Mesilla Valley Family Dentistry

Our mission is to provide you with the highest quality of dental care in a professional and honest manner. We will strive to build a long-term relationship with you based on a mutual trust and respect where you feel comfortable talking about any dental concerns you may have without judgment. Our team of dental professionals will incorporate the use of technology and customer service to ensure you the best and most up to date dental care in a comfortable environment. We are committed to educate ourselves continuously and it is our goal to help you achieve optimum oral health while educating you and allowing you to choose the best treatment option you are most comfortable with.

Did you need braces as a child, but your family couldn’t afford them or you didn’t receive them for another reason? If so, it’s not too late for you to straighten your teeth and have the smile you have always wanted. Perhaps you’re the parent of a patient who needs braces but doesn’t want the metal smile associated with them for two or more years. Whatever your situation, Dr. Borham and Dr. Oushy are happy to let you know about Invisalign clear braces at Mesilla Valley Family Dentistry in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

The Benefit of Braces without the Metal

Invisalign is a revolutionary approach to orthodontic care. Instead of an orthodontist applying wires and brackets to your teeth, you wear a clear plastic retainer for approximately two weeks and then replace it with the next one in the series made especially for you. Each retainer applies pressure to your teeth to encourage them to move into the desired position. They are just like braces in that regard except that they’re nearly undetectable to others.

Another difference with Invisalign is that you can remove your retainers for cleaning and brushing. Since they’re a clear color, you can remain discrete about your orthodontic treatment. It typically takes less time to complete treatment with Invisalign than it does with traditional metal braces. In fact, some patients finish wearing their clear retainers in just one year. The cost is a bit higher, but most patients find this a fair trade-off for the benefits that Invisalign offers.

You must abide by many food restrictions when you wear traditional metal braces to prevent breaking a bracket or wire. With Invisalign clear braces, you simply remove the aligner from your mouth and eat whatever food you desire. Of course, you should still follow good hygiene practices while undergoing orthodontic treatment. It’s also important to wear your customized aligners for up to 23 hours a day for the fastest and most accurate results.

The Process of Receiving Invisalign Braces

If you’re interested in this treatment approach, the first step is to schedule a consultation with one of our dentists. Dr. Borham or Dr. Oushy will inspect your teeth and gums and take an impression to aid in treatment planning. Your dentist will then provide you with an in-depth treatment plan as well as an estimate of how long it will take to achieve treatment goals.

We are also happy to let you know that we accept financing through Care Credit. Qualified applicants may receive interest-free financing for six, 12, or 18 months. Our entire staff looks forward to helping you achieve healthier teeth and a smile you won’t be able to hold back.

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