Olympic Advice From Your Dentist
Posted February 21, 2018 in Uncategorized
The winter Olympics are in full swing! These athletes have trained their whole life to have an opportunity to be in the Olympic games. Most athletes have had to deal with one or more major sports injuries. Whether it is a fall or slip, most of these Olympic athletes would not be standing where they are now without their dentist. If you are an Olympic athlete or you just like to play recreational sports, I have some life and smile-saving advice for you.
Mouthguards
The 16-year old Japanese athlete, Yuto Totsuka, took an extreme fall off the half pipe in the snowboarding competition last week. In the fall it looked like he went head first into the lip of the half pipe and continued to fall to the hard packed snow. Seeing this, it reminded me of the importance of safety gear such as mouth guards for athletes.
A custom-fitted mouthguard will do more than just protect your teeth. The soft plastic mouthguard will protect your gums, lips, cheeks, and head from injuries. Sports-related injuries such as head trauma can be greatly lessened with a custom-fitted mouthguard. A mouthguard is very valuable to all athletes and in many cases is required because it is a great preventative tool.
The Olympic committee understands the safety that mouthguards provide. For that reason, the committee has made it mandatory for all competing athletes have one. The Olympic committee spends time with athletes, trainers, and coaches reminding them of the benefits of mouthguards at all times. Whether you are an Olympic athlete or not, it is important to have this protection.
Luckily, since he had the proper protection, snowboarder Yuto Totsuka was able to walk away from a terrifying crash that otherwise could have ended his career or even his life. The fall was described by many as the hardest fall they have seen in the sport. Being able to survive something like that with no major injuries is just a testament to modern protective gear such as dental mouth guards.
Biting The Gold
As tempting as it is, it is important for athletes to remember that biting your gold medal is harmful! Not only could it be harboring many germs, but biting metal can also be very harmful to the structure of your smile. When you bite down on any metal or hard substance it can result in many dental injuries such as a broken tooth or worn down enamel.
Don’t ruin your win with a broken tooth! You have worked too hard for your medal-winning moment to spoil the moment that can be easily be avoided. Remember, posing with your medal is safe and still impressive even if you don’t bite down on it.
Keep your active lifestyle safe by asking about custom-fitted mouth guards at your next appointment at OC Healthy Smiles.