Tackling Facial Protection

Oct 12, 2016

Tackling Facial Protection

Wear a Mouth Guard During High-Impact Activities

Fall is here! This means school has started again and sports are back in full swing, which means sports related injuries are common among children.  According to the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), 70 percent of parents said their biggest worry is that their child will get hurt while playing sports. Another 67 percent admitted their child doesn’t wear a mouth guard when playing sports such as football, basketball, baseball and soccer.  That’s why The Georgia School of Orthodontics (GSO) is doing our part to spread the word that facial sports injuries can be avoided simply by reminding your kids to wear mouth guards.

When engaging in high-impact activities like football or wrestling, the importance of wearing a mouth guard to protect your braces, teeth, and gums from injuries can’t be overstated. Be sure to avoid mouth guards that custom form to your teeth as these will resist any tooth movements your GSO doctor is trying to achieve.

The AAO has provided the following tips for keeping your kids safe on the field.

• Wear mouth guards during contact sports
• Wear a helmet
• Stretch before and after a game or practice
• Wear protective eye wear
• Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin
• Be observant—even as a spectator

What Should You Do If an Injury Occurs?

Even if you’re the perfect patient and wear your mouth guard faithfully, you just can’t predict when an accident will happen. There is always potential for you to suffer an injury and need to seek medical treatment. If that happens, we’ve put together a short list of things to keep in mind to help minimize the risk of further damage or any lasting effects:

• If you’ve hurt the soft tissues of your mouth and any wires are poking you, gently pull them away from the injury and cut off the end, or remove the wire from your brackets altogether
• Use a cold pack to reduce any swelling
• Place gauze on any wounds and apply light pressure to stop any bleeding
• Contact our office, even if you believe your injury is only minor! We will assess the situation and determine if you need to schedule an appointment.
• Use an over-the-counter medication such as Aleve® to eliminate any discomfort or swelling
• Continue practicing good oral hygiene! Keeping your mouth clean will help prevent infection from setting in

Here at The Georgia School of Orthodontics, we recommend mouth guards for all our patients with braces. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions about a particular mouth guard or your treatment.