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With the start of spring sports right around the corner, we know that many parents have questions about protecting their kids and ensuring their safety. The American Dental Association estimates that 20-25 million youths participate in competitive sports. Organized sports account for 36% of all unintentional injuries to children and adolescents. Of these injuries, 10-20% involve the child’s mouth, teeth, or jaw. So, what can you as a parent do to protect your child’s smile?

Mouthguards are an excellent way to protect your child and their smile. The National Youth Sports Foundations says that an athlete is 60 times more likely to sustain damage to their teeth when they are not wearing a protective mouthguard.

Many people assume that mouthguards are only useful in sports like football and boxing, but they are advantageous across most sports that children compete in. The American Dental Association recommends the use of mouthguards for all of the following sports: gymnastics, basketball, boxing, field hockey, football, handball, ice hockey, lacrosse, martial arts, racketball, roller hockey, rugby, shot putting, skateboarding, skiing, skydiving, soccer, squash, surfing, volleyball, water polo, weightlifting, and wrestling.

Is this list more extensive than you expected? That’s alright; many parents are surprised by the extent of these recommendations. As we like to say, it’s not just how you take care of your child’s teeth, but that you take care of them from the beginning.

What should I be looking for in a mouthguard?

Typically, everything you need to know about a mouthguard will be written on the packaging. Dick’s Sporting Goods, Academy, and other sporting goods department stores usually have a considerable selection of mouthguards that will be perfectly adequate.  

You’ll want to make sure you get them the correct size - most mouthguards are measured in youth and adult sizes. The youth-sized mouthguards are usually for kids age ten and under, but if your child is big for their age, the adult-sized mouthguards should work well.  

Next, you’ll want to make sure you get the appropriate mouthguard for their sport. While most mouthguards can be used across many sports, some guards favor certain sports. Football players might prefer larger-profile mouthguards with a clip to attach to their helmet. Baseball and basketball players often prefer smaller-profile mouthguards that allow them to talk more clearly while they wear their guard. If your child is boxing, wrestling, or participating in a high-contact sport that does not involve a lot of protective equipment, the ADA recommends getting a specific mouthguard.

It is also imperative to note that some mouthguards work better for kids with braces. This will be indicated on the mouthguard’s packaging.  

Does PDAO sell mouthguards at the office?

We do sell mouthguards! If you are interested in purchasing a mouthguard directly from our offices, we have two options available. For our first option, you will come in and have a mold taken of your mouth. This mold is used to make a custom-fitting mouthguard here at our offices. These cost $75. Our second option costs $100, and it gets you a more customized mouthguard that we get from a third-party lab. With this option, you get a slightly better fit, and you have more color customization options.  

Are you interested in scheduling a time to get one of our custom-fitting mouthguards? Call us today!

This week, Amy Morgan was joined by Amanda Tracy and Alex Davis, a pairing that collectively makes up Pre-K Mama. Pre-K Mama provides parents with educational activities that are simple, fun, and already done!  

Amanda and Alex met in 2014 while teaching at the same elementary school. They taught together for several years, and eventually, both left the classroom after having kids. The pairing soon learned that being a mom is a full-time job, and preparing toddlers for preschool and kindergarten is quite the challenge as well.  

Staying home with your kids is a blessing in itself, but taking on the role of preparing them for school is no joke. Planning and organizing the educational content children need in their early developmental years is often a challenging and time-consuming task. Alex and Amanda put their heads together to do the difficult work so that you don’t have to! With the help of Pre-K Mama, you can focus on helping your kids prepare for elementary school without having to worry about researching and preparing lessons for them. 

Pre-K Mama sells packets and seasonal subscriptions (three-month packages) that include educational activities and materials for your child. Everything is cut and prepped, so all the work is already done for you. All you need is crayons, scissors, glue, and other supplies you regularly find around the house.  

Each month’s packet is themed towards events and trends that are relevant to the particular month. For example, February’s packet might include Valentine’s Day-related material, and March’s packet could consist of something themed around St. Patrick’s Day.  

Alex and Amanda understand that there can be large development gaps between preschool-aged children. Their packet’s instructions come with modifications so that they will be most effective whether your child is two and half years old and just beginning their educational development or five years old and preparing for kindergarten.
With Pre-K Mama, preparing your child for elementary school is a breeze! Follow them on Instagram here, and purchase your first packet here. 

With February being Black History Month, we want to take a moment to highlight one of Amy’s personal heroes, Dr. Mae Jemison.  Dr. Jemison is an African-American engineer, physician, and NASA astronaut.  In fact, Dr. Jemison was the first African-American female to travel into space.  She was the mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor and orbited the Earth for nearly eight days in 1992.  
This week we also want to mention that we announced the winners of our Build-A-Bear giveaway that we promoted at the beginning of the holiday season.  Stay up-to-date with future raffles and giveaways on our Facebook page. 

With the Holidays knocking on the door, many parents are working on putting stocking stuffers together. We know it can be challenging to find fun, unique items to fill your kids’ stockings, so we put together a guide to help you put together some fabulous stockings! Most of the gifts on this list can be purchased at Kindness and Joy Toys in Fayetteville.

The Classics

• Candy
• Toothbrush 
• Toothpaste
• Floss
• Underwear
• Socks

You cannot go wrong with including a few classics in the stockings this year. Stockings are the perfect time to make everyday things like a toothbrush or socks fun!

Fun for the Whole Family

Classic Notepad Games

After Dinner Amusements

Are you having trouble keeping the conversation going at the dinner table? Pick up a set of these conversation starters for your kid’s stocking and make a game out of your family conversations!

Tenzi          

Looking for games the whole family can play? Tenzi is the hottest new dice game that your kids are sure to love!

For Your Creatives

Color-in Stickers

Pop-Up Stickers

Chill Out and Craft Kits

Un-Mistake-ables

Fuel your children’s creativity with stickers, erasable colored pencils, and loads of crafts this holiday season!

For Your Active Kids

Jumbo Jelly Ball

Street Ball

What are the only two things that make bouncy balls even cooler? Make them bigger or make them bouncier. The Jumbo Jelly Ball has you covered if you want to make it bigger. This thing inflates to up to three feet wide! The Street Ball is a hyper-bouncy ball with a unique shape to always keep your kids on their toes!

For Those That Need to Keep Their Hands Busy

Mini Puzzle

Flick N Fish

Tutti Frutti

What’zit Worm

Nee Doh

These gifts are perfect for when your kids need to sit down and have some quiet time. Whether it is a puzzle, moldable scented dough, or a flexible stress ball, these gifts will get your child’s energy out while they sit down.