When you have kids, an entirely new idea of the word “protect” comes to mind than it used to when you were younger and without children. You always feel like you’re watching out for the next dangerous thing, you’re constantly worried about your kids when they’re not with you, and sometimes stress and worry can eat at you more than you’d like to admit. Dental injuries are fairly rare, but kids between the ages of 7 and 10 have the highest number of injuries that affect their teeth. Most of those come from baseball or basketball, but for those who don’t play organized sports, bikes are the most common reason for mouth injuries. However, since it’s not realistic for us to wrap our kids in bubble wrap to keep them safe, we can’t necessarily prevent them from taking part in any activity that may result in injury. This is part of the risk that comes with life itself, so we have to find ways that will protect their teeth while letting them be a kid. Make them wear helmets Of course, they’re required to wear helmets when batting in baseball or when playing football. But you’ve got to ensure they’re always wearing one when riding a bike, too. The helmet not only protects the skull, but can help reduce the impact that the jaw and teeth take in the event of a fall. Go ahead and enforce elbow pads, knee pads, and wrist guards as well since you honestly can never be too careful. Enforce mouth guards when playing sports For kids who wear mouth guards, they’re 60 (yes, sixty) times less likely to suffer damage to their teeth or mouth than those who don’t. They aren’t very popular because kids find them uncomfortable, and you may not actually see many of your child’s peers wearing one. Luckily, a dentist can make a customized mouth guard to fit more comfortably, and give you information to help convince your child’s sports league to make them mandatory. Have a conversation about it More often than not, children understand more than we give them credit for. While you are teaching them to wear a helmet and mouth guard, include the reasons you want them to play safely and have the right gear. When children understand why they are being told to do something, they’re much more likely to work with you and abide by your rules. The more you talk to them about it and understand their feelings, the more they’ll try to understand your reasoning and concern for their safety.
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With Halloween on the horizon, there can only be one thing on most parents’ minds: all the little ones will be eating as much candy as they can get their hands on. And while all candy has high amounts of sugar and should be given to children in limited amounts, there are some types of candy that can cause tooth damage and that should be eaten extra carefully. As if candy wasn’t bad enough in general for their teeth, well, things can be much worse. Read on to check out some candies that are quite dangerous to eat depending on their consistency, stickiness, and more. Jawbreakers If you didn’t think of these candies first when we said “dangerous”, then you’re not using your head! Jawbreakers are named as such because they can quite literally harm your jaw and teeth. Similar to sticky candies, jawbreakers can spell trouble for orthodontic hardware. Jawbreakers are designed to dissolve over an extended period of time and trying to bite them, at best, has no effect and, at worst, can lead to broken brackets or wires or even chipped teeth. If your children are eating jawbreakers, be sure to supervise them and keep an eye out for any attempts to bite into or break a jawbreaker before it has been sufficiently dissolved down to size. Taffy, caramel, & other sticky candies. These chewy, sticky candies can be extremely delicious, but they’re a nightmare for fillings and orthodontic hardware. For anyone with braces, the candy can get caught behind and around brackets, making brushing difficult and leaving sugary candy pressed right up against the enamel of their teeth for an extended period of time. This candy can even pull out fillings. Lollipops, suckers, & rock candy.
When you add candy plus a stick, the result ends up being quite a unique concern. Many kids are likely to tear into their Halloween candy while trick or treating and will suck on a lollipop while running from house to house. The thing is, with dwindling daylight and the race to collect as much candy as possible, it’s more likely that children will trip and, if they have a lollipop in their mouth, the stick can cause injuries when they fall. The worst offenders are rock candy, which usually has a wooden stick or nicer lollipops that use a plastic stick. Just like with scissors, it’s not wise to run with candy. |
Willian Mosher
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