Dr. Hannah Draver, Team Dentist and Owner of Draver Dental joins us on the blend to tell us all about the importance of sports dentistry and what athletes can do to minimize injuries. Draver Dental cares for the Milwaukee Admirals Hockey team, sports can cause many dental injuries and it's important to take care of your teeth, especially when playing a contact sport.
Dental injuries are the most common type of orofacial injury from sports and mouth guards can really help minimize these injuries. The most well known sports that should have mouth-guards are hockey and football- but sports such as lacrosse, softball, baseball and basketball have high incidence of orofacial injuries. Many different types of injures can happen- from very slight chipped teeth to avulsed teeth- when a tooth is completely knocked out, to jaw fractures to soft tissue. For players not wearing mouth guards, dental trauma rates are about 50% of athletes, but for athletes who wear mouth guards, that rate drops to about 7%.
Sports drinks and energy bars are great for hydration and energy during a game or a match, but they are horrible for your teeth due to the acidic levels and sugar in them. Even though the low sugar is much better, it is still very acidic. Bars like cliff bars can also stick on your teeth. Especially before putting your mouth-guard in, at least rinse your teeth with water! Because of the amount of acidic/sugary food and drink that athletes consume, they tend to have a higher rate of cavities than the normal population.
Call Draver Dental today at 414-962-0389 or visit draverdental.com to schedule your visit for all your dental needs- including making a mouth-guard to protect your “chicklets!”