April, also known as National Facial Protection Month, is upon us, and for Dr. Sardzinski, Dr. Wilken, Dr. Stanley, Dr. Hanson, Dr. Heying and Dr. Plank and our team at Blair Ridge Dental, that only means one thing: it’s once again time to remind our patients to protect their faces and pearly whites.

According to the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation, children, high-school athletes and adults have more than 5,000,000 teeth knocked out in sporting events annually. To us, that’s simply unacceptable. By simply wearing a properly fitted mouthguard or other form of protection, kids and adults alike can greatly reduce their chances of traumatic facial injuries.

Here are five ways to ensure you and your child’s can protect your mouth this spring:

1. Make sure you or your child wears a mouthguard for contact sports such as baseball, softball, soccer and lacrosse.

2. Remind him or her to wear a helmet

3. …and protective eyewear

4. Wearing a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin will help

5. Make sure your child is alert, even as a spectator

We hope these tips are helpful. Dr. Sardzinski, Dr. Wilken, Dr. Stanley, Dr. Hanson, Dr. Heying and Dr. Plank will tell you protective gear is vital for anyone engaging in contact sports or activities. If you have any further questions about any of these tips, please contact us at our Hiawatha, IA office.

Stay safe and have fun this spring!