Joiner Orthodontics is Tackling Kids Sport Safety with Football Great Emmitt Smith and AAO

At Joiner Orthodontics, our number one concern is our patients.  This is why we are joining football great Emmitt Smith, his family, and the American Association of Orthodontics during the month of April to help raise awareness and increase the use of facial protection in youth sports in Santa Cruz, Aptos, Scotts Valley and the surrounding areas in Santa Cruz County.

Watch this video on YouTube about the importance of wearing mouth guards and protective gear when playing contact sports.  You can also download a free Emmitt Smith Family Poster at http://www.braces.org/sportsafety/sports_safety_tips.html

Dr Mark Joiner and the Team at Joiner Orthodontics asks all our patients to be proactive and protect yourselves when playing any contact sport, organized or just with friends, by wearing a mouth guard.  We provide a mouth guard to our patients in active treatment with braces.

It only takes a split second to damage your beautiful smile! Too often, a patient comes into our office with a preventable sports injury.  Extensive dental care is often required to repair a sports injury and many patients will experience needless discomfort, aggravation, loss of time, and incur an unnecessary financial investment throughout their lives to maintain the dental work required to repair the injury.  So please “Play It Safe” and wear a mouth guard.

During orthodontic treatment, it is especially important for patients to wear a mouth guard to prevent injury from braces that can easily cut lips cheeks when hit.

We suggest young athletes also protect their face and smile while playing with these additional tips from the AAO:

• Wear a helmet. Helmets absorb the energy of an impact, and should be worn for activities like biking, skateboarding and in-line skating. Visit the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website to learn helmet laws in your state.
• Wear protective eye-wear. Eyes are extremely vulnerable to injury during sports like soccer, baseball and hockey.
• Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin. Hockey pucks, basketballs and racquetballs can do severe damage.

If you have any questions about what type of mouth guard will work best for you or your child… we will be happy to discuss this with you.

How do you feel about the importance of wearing mouth guards?  Do you make it mandatory for your children?  Please comment below.  We would love to hear from you.