Smile with Confidence: A Comprehensive Guide to Dental Health and Care

Monthly Archives: June 2016

Dental Hygiene Tips for Teen Athletes

For those who love a good hockey game, you probably cheer on your very favorite NFL player who sports a toothless grin.  At the salaries that NFL stars command, you know their missing teeth aren’t a result of lack of money; they just figure, they’ll get whacked in the face again, so might as well leave that porcelain out of their mouth during a game.  Renowned hockey players like Gordie Howe, Bobby Clarke, Stan Mikita, and Bobby Hull all have toothless grins.

Your student athlete might be sporting a smile similar to these hockey greats, if he or she does not choose to wear some oral protection to save their smile.  It doesn’t even need to be a wayward hockey stick that takes some teeth, as approximately 13 to 39% of all dental injuries are related to sports.

What Causes Tooth Sensitivity?

Perhaps you’ve been noticing lately that downing an ice-cold glass of milk leaves you reeling in pain … then it seems that wincing with your mouth open causes your teeth to hurt.  Tooth sensitivity just didn’t happen overnight it is a gradual process that begins when the movement of fluid located within tiny tubes in the dentin (the layer of tissue found beneath the hard enamel that contains the inner pulp of the tooth),  begins to cause nerve irritation.  When the hard enamel on your teeth gradually begins to wear down, especially as you get older, or your gums start to recede, these tiny tube surfaces are then exposed causing you to wince after eating, drinking hot or cold beverages, touching your teeth, or even just exposing them to cold air – suddenly a short, sharp pain and aching thereafter occurs.