Mouthguards Essential For Back-to-School Sports

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - As children head back to school, and organized sports, the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) are reminding parents and coaches about the importance of proper and regular use of mouthguards to protect against teeth and mouth injuries.

Statistics show that each year more than 3.5 million children 14 years of age and younger suffer injuries while playing sports or participating in recreational activities, and many of these injuries involve the teeth, mouth and face.

"Take football, for instance. For many years mouthguards have been required and as a result, less than 1 percent of the injuries that we see in football involve the teeth or other parts of the mouth," Dr. Edmond Hewlett, ADA consumer advisor and associate professor at the University of California Los Angeles' School of Dentistry told Reuters Health.

"Then if you look at basketball, which traditionally is not looked at as a contact sport and where mouthguards are optional, and we see that about 35 percent of basketball injuries involve the teeth," Hewlett said. Mandatory mouthguards are now being considered in basketball due to the high rate of mouth injuries, according to Hewlett.

Soccer is another sport in which mouthguards are not, for the most part, required equipment and there is certainly a risk to the teeth in soccer.

So how does a parent choose the right mouthguard when there are dozens to choose from? According to Hewlett, there are three categories of mouthguards.

"The first is what we call the stock mouthguard -- that is the one or two sizes fit-all type. These are the least expensive type and they don't really fit the mouth precisely," Hewlett explained. Moreover, the user has to bite on it to keep it in place so it makes speaking as well as breathing difficult."

The next step up from the stock mouthguard is the so-called "boil and bite" mouthguard. "Here the wearer puts the mouthguard in hot water for a minute and then bites into it to form-fit the teeth," Hewlett said. This type fits the teeth a little more precisely than the stock guard.

The third type is the custom fit mouthguard that is "very precisely fitted to your teeth and gums by your dentist." Not surprisingly, these custom fit mouthguards fit most comfortably and "as a side benefit," Hewlett said, "they can be made in any range of colors, can incorporate the team name or logo into the mouthguard or even the child's name."

According to Hewlett, children with braces are best served by a custom-fit mouthguard, which cost around $100 dollars, "which is not bad," Hewlett said, "considering the alternative," pointing out that the types of injuries a child can sustain during sports can range from a small chipped tooth, to loosing a tooth, to jaw fractures to concussions. "And while mouthguards don't necessary prevent all of these things from happening 100 percent, they certainly reduce the likelihood," Hewlett said.

The ADA strongly recommends mouthguards for any sport where there is a risk of injury to the mouth, Hewlett noted.

SOURCE: Megan Rauscher, Reuters Health
9/5/2005

Juvéderm™

Juvéderm™, available in Idaho Falls at Comfort Care Dental, is a new and exciting gel filler that is safe and long lasting. Dr. Harper uses Juvéderm™ to augment lips. Injecting Juvéderm™ into the lips makes them full and supple, and enhances the overall beauty of the face. Like Restylane®, Juvéderm™ is made of non-animal-derived hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is found naturally in the human body, so the results it provides look natural and last longer than some other cosmetic fillers on the market.

Approved by the FDA in 2006, Juvéderm™ is made using new technology that makes the gel smoother, and easier to inject. Juvéderm™ can be used for wrinkle correction on the face, to treat deep folds and smile lines, to contour the cheek and chin regions of the face, as well as add volume and fullness to lips. Results can be seen immediately, and they last an average of six months. When the results begin to dissipate, patients can schedule another appointment for treatment with Juvéderm™ at Comfort Care Dental.

To ensure that you are comfortable throughout the treatment, Dr. Harper will gently numb the area to be treated before injecting the hyaluronic acid gel; even without numbing the targeted area, the Juvéderm™ procedure can be described as nearly painless. Depending upon the desired degree of correction, the procedure can last from 15 minutes to 45 minutes. Patients can resume normal activities immediately following the treatment with new, more youthful and vibrant skin. For a free consult on Juvéderm™ please call our office at 208-524-2300.

Dental Health and Dry Mouth

What Causes Dry Mouth?
There are several causes of dry mouth, also called xerostomia. These include:

Side effect of certain medications. Dry mouth is a common side effect of many prescription and nonprescription drugs, including drugs used to treat depression, anxiety, pain, allergies, and colds (antihistamines and decongestants), obesity, acne, epilepsy, hypertension (diuretics), diarrhea, nausea, psychotic disorders, urinary incontinence, asthma (certain bronchodilators), and Parkinson's disease. Dry mouth can also a side effect of muscle relaxants and sedatives.

Side effect of certain diseases and infections. Dry mouth can be a side effect of medical conditions, including Sjögren's syndrome, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, anemia, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, Parkinson's disease, stroke, and mumps.

Side effect of certain medical treatments. Damage to the salivary glands, the glands that produce saliva, for example, from radiation to the head and neck and chemotherapy treatments for cancer, can reduce the amount of saliva produced.

Nerve damage . Dry mouth can be a result of nerve damage to the head and neck area from an injury or surgery.

Dehydration . Conditions that lead to dehydration, such as fever, excessive sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, blood loss, and burns can cause dry mouth.

Surgical removal of the salivary glands.

Lifestyle. Smoking or chewing tobacco can affect saliva production and aggravate dry mouth. Continuously breathing with your mouth open can also contribute to the problem.



What Are the Symptoms of Dry Mouth?
Common symptoms of dry mouth include:

A sticky, dry feeling in the mouth
Frequent thirst
Sores in the mouth; sores or split skin at the corners of the mouth; cracked lips
A dry feeling in the throat
A burning or tingling sensation in the mouth and especially on the tongue
A dry, red, raw tongue
Problems speaking or difficulty tasting, chewing, and swallowing
Hoarseness, dry nasal passages, sore throat
Bad breath


Why Is Dry Mouth a Problem?
Besides causing the aggravating symptoms mentioned above, dry mouth also increases a person's risk of gingivitis (gum disease), tooth decay, and mouth infections, such as thrush.

Dry mouth can also make it difficult to wear dentures.

How Is Dry Mouth Treated?
If you think your dry mouth is caused by certain medication you are taking, talk to your doctor. He or she may adjust the dose you are taking or switch you to a different drug that doesn't cause dry mouth.

In addition, an oral rinse to restore mouth moisture may be prescribed. If that doesn't help a medication that stimulates saliva production, called Salagen, may be prescribed.

Other steps you can take that may help improve saliva flow include:

Sucking on sugar-free candy or chewing sugar-free gum
Drinking plenty of water to help keep your mouth moist
Protecting your teeth by brushing with a fluoridetoothpaste, using a fluoride rinse, and visiting your dentist regularly
Breathing through your nose, not your mouth, as much as possible
Using a room vaporizer to add moisture to the bedroom air
Using an over-the-counter artificial saliva substitute.


WebMD Medical Reference
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD, MD on December 30, 2009
© 2009 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

Top 5 Foods to Prevent Bad Breath

Bad breath results from two key issues: oral hygiene and gastrointestinal health. Basically this means that breath odors originate not just inside the mouth but also from your digestive tract. The culprit in both cases is largely bacteria. Doctors will tell you that if you have bad breath, you should first make sure you are eating right (getting a balanced diet of protein, carbs, lots of fruits and veggies and plenty of fluids to keep the GI tract healthy) and brushing and flossing after every meal. But that still doesn't mean you might not be offending your friends and co-workers after lunch at the new Italian place. Here are some things you can ingest (or chew) that can help.

1. Chew on this. Move over parsley, there are some new halitosis-fighting herbs in town. "Coriander, spearmint, tarragon, eucalyptus, rosemary and cardamom are all good for fighting bad breath," says Dr. Christine Gerbstadt, who has lectured on oral health. You can chew on fresh herbs or make tonics by steeping them in hot water (as a tea). These herbs make an excellent digestive as well-doubling the benefits of ending a meal this way.

2. Get some active culture. No, not Cirque du Soleil, but yogurt. A recent study found that a serving of yogurt each day reduces the level of odor-causing hydrogen sulfide in the mouth. Apparently it also cuts back on bacteria in the mouth-plaque and gum disease were reduced in the study's yogurt eaters as well. Plus, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) recommends getting enough vitamin D from yogurt, cheese and milk if you're worried about halitosis because this vitamin creates an inhospitable environment for bacteria growth. Be sure to get the kind of yogurt with active cultures-not overly processed or sugar-added varieties.

3. Crunchy types. Apples, carrots, celery-basically any fiber-rich fruit or vegetable is your friend when it comes to fighting halitosis. "Inside your mouth, plaque build-up causes odors," explains Cynthia Sass, ADA spokeswoman and registered dietician. "Eating foods that increase saliva production keep the mouth moist-and rinsed out. Also, many carbs and proteins can get stuck in your teeth-even healthy foods like whole grain cereal or chicken breast." So follow a meal with a Granny Smith (feel the saliva kick in at the mention of it?) to cleanse the mouth.

4. Masking techniques. Sugarless gum shouldn't replace brushing your teeth after a meal, but in a pinch it can freshen breath (masking odors) and is another way to increase saliva production to rinse away plaque and bacteria. Mints can mask as well, but only briefly-and go for sugarless. Sugar creates plaque, and no one wants a mint that makes breath worse.

5. High C's. Eating berries, citrus fruits, melons and other vitamin C-rich foods create an inhospitable environment for bacteria growth. A diet rich in vitamin C is also is important for preventing gum disease and gingivitis-both major causes of halitosis. Get your C in foods, not supplements, which can cause gastrointestinal upset in some, according to Sass, and exacerbate bad breath.

SOURCE: Marin Gazzaniga for MSN Health & Fitness

ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DENTIST?

An estimated 80% of adult Americans have a fear of the dentist. In some cases, this fear prevents many people from obtaining the regular dental care necessary to maintain healthy teeth and gums.

Maybe it's been a while since you've been to a dentist's office, yet you realize that you need dental care. Whether you're anxious about seeing a dentist or it's just been a number of years since you've been, Comfort Care Dental can help! Believe me, we've pretty much seen it all, and you're not going to shock us, regardless of your current dental health. Our sedation dentistry techniques allow us to give you the dental care you need with the comfort you desire.

Sedation dentistry is used to provide a relaxing and anxiety-free experience for certain people receiving dental treatment. It enables individuals too afraid to go to the dentist to receive the dental care they need while avoiding the common apprehension known as "dental phobia".

Contact us now by calling 208-524-2300 to make an appointment or for a free consultation to talk about our offerings in sedation dentistry. Whatever the state of your dental health, we can and will improve it immensely. With our advanced sedation techniques we can make sure we can rid you of your fear of the dentist and change your life.

Thank you for trusting us with your family's dental care. We look forward to seeing you at your next appointment!