Are you wearing your mouthguard? From Dr. Poggio

With fall sports almost here for a lot of our patients at Otay Lakes Orthodontics, we thought today would be a great time to remind all our young athletes in treatment to take care of both their mouth and appliances while participating in sports – especially contact sports such as soccer and football – this fall.

One of the most important pieces of sports equipment you can wear on the field is a mouthguard. A well-fitted mouthguard, which we’re happy to provide, allows you to breathe and speak more clearly, in addition to protecting your mouth and braces. Only by using a mouth guard can kids with and without braces avoid serious sports injuries. The next time you’re in for an adjustment visit with Dr. Poggio, we encourage you to ask us for a mouthguard! In addition, the American Association of Orthodontists has five quick tips for keeping kids safe during sport activities this fall.

• Wear a helmet
• Stretch before and after a game or practice
• Wear protective eyewear
• Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin
• Be observant, even as a spectator

We hope you’re enjoying your summer, and invite you all to share your summer photos on our Facebook page!

Otay Lakes Orthodontics supports National Physical Fitness and Sports Month

Did you know the month of May is designated National Physical Fitness and Sports Month? In 1983, President Ronald Reagan encouraged Americans to incorporate more physical activity into their lives, and the reminder is even more significant in this day and age, as kids everywhere are distracted more and more by television, social networking and video games. Kids living an active lifestyle can improve their health, productivity and overall well-being, and best of all? It doesn’t have to take a lot of time!

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has provided these public health guidelines for your convenience. The guidelines call for children and teens to exercise for at least one hour each day of moderate intensity physical activity (such as playing sports or brisk walking) or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous activity (jogging, dancing and jumping rope).

At Otay Lakes Orthodontics, we always encourage our patients to stay fit by exercising or participating in sports. However, we want to remind you to always wear a mouth guard or other forms of facial protection when playing sports. To learn more about how often your child should exercise, we recommend you check out this series of helpful articles about kids and exercise, courtesy of our friends at KidsHealth.org.

Dr. Valeria Poggio, helping you save face this fall

Last week, Dr. Poggio and our staff discussed the importance of wearing your retainer after completing your treatment at Otay Lakes Orthodontics. Today, however, we thought we'd talk about another important appliance you should always have handy: your mouth guard.

The fall months bring an increase in outdoor activities and a greater chance of our athletes in treatment damaging their precious mouths and pearly whites. If you play sports, it's important that you consult Chula Vista orthodontist Dr. Poggio for special precautions, such as wearing a mouth guard. A protective mouth guard is advised for playing fall sports such as soccer, basketball and especially football.

Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists have provided the following tips for keeping your kids safe on the field:

• Wear mouth guards during contact sports
• Wear a helmet
• Stretch before and after a game or practice
• Wear protective eye wear
• Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin
• Be observant—even as a spectator

All of these can reduce injuries. Only by using a mouth guard and other forms of facial protection can kids with and without braces avoid serious sports injuries. Please give us a call if you have any questions about mouth guards or your treatment!