| Protect Your Child with the Right Athletic Mouthguard |
Dental injuries are the most common type of sports injury. Over-the-counter, boil and bite mouth guards are not effective and may leave your child open to serious injury such as a fractured jaw. We’ll address the following questions during an athletic mouth guard appointment. These are important issues that a sporting goods retailer cannot possibly answer.
Is the mouth guard designed for the sport?
Is the mouth guard appropriate for the age and dental requirements of the athlete?
Does the athlete have any history of previous dental injury or concussion?
Is the athlete undergoing orthodontic treatment?
How often should the mouth guard be replaced?
Mouth guards must be properly fit, comfortable, resilient and tear resistant. They should cause minimal interference with speaking and breathing. Boil and bite kits do not meet these criteria. Custom fabricated mouth guards are essential in the prevention of athletic oral/facial injury even in non-contact sports. For more information, call 215.619.6756 or email us.
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Get Mouthy
Brush Twice Daily.
Toothpastes should contain fluoride and bear the ADA seal of acceptance. Brush for two to three minutes. Toothbrushes should be replaced after two months. Scraggly bristles can wear away gum tissue.
Floss!
Brushing only removes plaque from three sides of the tooth. To reach the other two, where cavities often crop up, you’ll need to floss between teeth. Waxed floss may be easier to insert between tightly spaced teeth. Wide floss may help if you have a lot of bridgework to cover.
Proper flossing should take two to three minutes. Work the floss between the teeth. Curve the floss into a C-shape around the tooth to sweep away wide swaths of plaque.
Rinse.
If you have gum problems, Listerine and rinses with similar antimicrobial formulas fight plaque and gingivitis beyond what tooth brushing accomplishes. Again, look for the ADA seal of acceptance. If you are cavity-prone, consider a fluoride product.
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| Factors That Increase Risk
of Periodontal Disease
· smoking and chewing tobacco
· poorly fitting bridge, badly aligned teeth or defective fillings
· habits such as clenching or grinding teeth
· poor dietary habits
· pregnancy
· use of oral contraceptives
· systemic diseases, such as diabetes
· medications, including steroids, some types of antiepilepsy, cancer therapy drugs and other.
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| The Drill On Dental Plans |
Dental benefit plans are designed differently than medical plans. The most common include:
Direct reimbursement. This is a self-funded, freedom-of-choice plan, which reimburses claims at a fixed percentage of the total cost.
Usual, customary and reasonable (UCR). Also a freedom-of-choice plan, UCR programs pay the benefit as either a set percentage of the dentist’s fee or the amount determined to be customary or reasonable according to the insurance company. Please note, that what is determined to be customary or reasonable by an insurance company does not correspond in any way with actual dental fees regionally or nationally. These UCR’s typically do not take into account the fair market value of these professional services or the true overhead costs of providing dental care.
Table of allowance. This type of program specifies a maximum dollar benefit for each covered procedure, regardless of fee charged.
Preferred provider. Participating dentists agree to discount their fees as an incentive for patients to select their practices.
Capitation. These programs pay contracted dentists a fixed amount per enrolled family or patients. The dentist is paid the same whether the patient shows up or not. Not the best scenario for patients.
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