Dakota Dental Clinic Encourages Athletes To Wear Well-Fitted Mouth Guards To Prevent Dental Injuries

BURNSVILLE, MN, October 19, 2011 (Press-News.org) With fall sports in full swing, Dakota Dental Family Dentistry is reminding parents and athletes that dental injuries are one of the most common types of injuries sustained by participants in organized and recreational sports.

Sports related dental injuries often result in bruised or lacerated lips, cheeks and tongue, fractured or dislocated jaw and broken, shifted or lost teeth.

Apple Valley Dentist, Dr. Shelley Wakefield, notes that "Fortunately dental injuries are one of the most preventable types of sports-related injuries. Consistently wearing a properly fitted mouth guard can eliminate or greatly reduce the severity of a dental injury. A simple rule of thumb is if a sport requires any type of protective equipment to be worn, a mouth guard should be included as well - for both practice and game time."

The Dakota Dental Center emphasizes that a properly fitted mouth guard is especially essential for individuals who wear braces or have fixed bridge dental work. A blow to the face can damage dental work or other fixed orthodontic appliances. A mouth guard also provides a barrier between dental braces and the cheek or lips, limiting the risk of soft tissue injuries.

To proactively prevent dental and oral injuries, Apple Valley dentists, Dr. Shelley Wakefield and Dr. Bennett Isabella, are available to provide information in helping parents and athletes understand the different types of mouth guards and their varying degrees of protection. Stock mouth guards are convenient, come pre-formed and ready to wear, but often don't fit well making breathing and talking difficult and offer reduced protection. Boil and bite mouth guards offer a better fit than stock mouth guards because they're softened in water and inserted to adapt to the shape of the individual's mouth. This fitting process is important and needs to be done with precision and care to ensure proper fit and protection.

Dakota Dental Family Dentistry can provide athletes with custom-fitted mouth protectors that precisely fit an individual and offer the most thorough mouth protection to prevent dental and oral injuries. Dakota Dental also provides emergency dentistry services in the event of an injury.

Individuals can contact Dakota Dental Family Dentistry for more information at 952-431-5774 or swakefield@dakotadental.com.

Dakota Dental Apple Valley Family Dentistry serves the southern Minneapolis/Saint Paul suburbs. Located in the Pennock Professional Building in Apple Valley, Minnesota, Dakota Dental Center provides comprehensive dental work including, but not limited to, preventative dental services, restorative dental procedures, dental implants, periodontal disease treatment, dentistry for kids, low anxiety dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, Invisalign and dental emergency services.

Dakota Dental Apple Valley Dentistry provides quality dental work in all areas of family dentistry while keeping patient comfort and satisfaction a top priority. Supplying all family dental services from preventative dental health care, pediatric dentistry, emergency dental services and general dental procedures. Apple Valley dentists, Dr. Shelley Wakefield and Dr. Bennett Isabella are also awarded Preferred Providers for Invisalign and have been recognized for expertise in aesthetic cosmetic dentistry including veneers, bonding, professional teeth whitening and smile makeovers.