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| Bunn Orthodontic Group |
Bunn Orthodontic Group wants
to remind our athletes to play it safe by wearing a mouth guard during
recreational and organized sports.
A mouthguard is an
essential piece of athletic gear that should be part of your standard equipment
from an early age when it comes to protecting your mouth. Mouth
guards prevent injuries to the bone and tissues around the teeth. They also
help prevent injuries to the lower jaw and temporomandibular joint in the jaw.
A properly fitted
mouthguard may be especially important for people who wear braces. A blow to
the face could damage the brackets or other fixed orthodontic appliances. A
mouthguard also provides a barrier between the braces and your cheek or lips,
which will help you avoid injuries to your gums and cheeks.
Mouthguards can be custom
made for you by Dr. Beverley J. Bunn. However, if you can’t afford a
custom-made mouthguard, you should still wear a stock mouthguard or a
boil-and-bite mouthguard purchased from any local drugstore.
The American Dental Association
offers the following 4 tips to help prevent facial injury:
1. Wear a mouth guard
when playing contact sports: Mouth guards are significantly less expensive than
the cost to repair an injury, and Dr. Bunn can make customized mouth guards
that hold teeth in place and allow for normal speech and breathing.
2. Wear a helmet. Helmets
absorb the energy of an impact and help prevent damage to the head.
3. Wear protective
eyewear. Eyes are extremely vulnerable to damage, especially when playing
sports.
4. Wear a face shield to
avoid scratched or bruised skin. Hockey pucks, basketballs and racquetballs can
cause severe facial damage at any age.
If you're an athlete and
a patient at Bunn Orthodontic Group, talk to Dr. Bunn about selecting a
mouthguard that will provide the right protection for you.
Also, if you have a
retainer or other removable appliance, do not wear it during any contact
sports. For more information give us a call our San Antonio office at (210)
921-9191. Our friendly and knowledgeable team will be happy to answer any
questions you may have.
