Injuries that Can Occur from River Rafting

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As an extreme watersport, river rafting can be the cause of dental emergencies as well as other injuries. If you want to enjoy river rafting but are concerned about your dental health, here are some things you should know.

River Rafting at Eugene

Eugene boasts three prominent rivers — the McKenzie River, Willamette River, and Siuslaw River. All rivers are open for watersports, particularly white water river rafting and fly fishing. The combination of cold water and warm sunlight create the best ambience for these watersports. If you’re a first-time river rafter, it’s important to get a tutorial from a professional before you go on the river on your own. There are several river rafting guides and charters that you can go to for guidance.

Common Injuries and Accidents Experienced While River Rafting

If you go on a white water rafting adventure, here are some injury risks you should be aware of:

1. Hitting yourself/getting hit with the paddle. You or someone on the boat with you may get hit by the paddle. This is quite common, especially when the water flow is strong and paddling is uncontrollable. If the paddle hits you or someone else in the face, you can knock out a tooth or fracture it. Your gums may also bleed.
2. Hand/wrist injuries. A typical rafting activity lasts for a couple of hours, and continuously paddling for that long can be strenuous to the hands or wrists, resulting in sprain, dislocation, or carpal tunnel syndrome.
3. Getting dump trucked. When the waves are strong, the passengers on the raft may fall off because of the loss of balance. Rafts rarely turn over or capsize, as compared to other boats, but the soft and bouncy texture of the boat can make it easy for the people riding it to fall off. When the people on a raft fall off even though the raft itself remains upright, this is called dump trucking. It’s important that you’re wearing your life vest while rafting so that if you do fall over, you will be able to return safely into the raft.
4. Hitting a solid object. When you paddle and you suddenly hit a solid object such as a stone in the river, it can cause trauma to your arms and hands. The impact can be strong enough to injure you and disable you from paddling.

Getting Emergency Dental Care from Smile Institute

After your enjoyable river rafting experience, it’s a good time to visit the best dentist in Eugene, Oregon at the Smile Institute, for any dental emergencies. Our Eugene office is open weekdays and you can schedule an appointment anytime through our online form. You can also call us at 541-484-1955 if you have any inquiries about our availability and services.

Make summer a truly memorable season by spending your free time river rafting. But, don’t forget to have your semi-annual dental check-ups to ensure that your teeth and gums are healthy and ready to face any extreme activities you have lined up all year.

The post Injuries that Can Occur from River Rafting appeared first on Smile Institute - Cosmetic and General Dentistry Services Eugene, Oregon.

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Compare Favorite Summer Treats for Teeth

On a hot summer day, nothing is better than a cool summer treat. If you are a mom worried about your kid’s teeth (and if you are already thinking ahead to your child’s next dental exam with Dr. Rich Smith at the Smile Institute), you may be wondering which summer treat is best to offer your kids to help them cool down.

Ice Cream

Ice cream has calcium, which is good for teeth, but it is also high in sugar. If you are concerned about your kids getting too much sugar, switch to a low-sugar or sugar-free brand.

Frozen Yogurt

Frozen yogurt sounds healthy, but many kinds of frozen yogurt are actually just made of ice cream with a little bit of yogurt thrown in. Frozen yogurt, like ice cream, is very high in sugar.

Snow Cones

This treat may seem pretty harmless, but the syrup they use to flavor the ice can be very high in sugar — one type of syrup that is typically used contains 18 grams of sugar in one 1-ounce serving!

If you are concerned about the sugar in a snow cone, there are healthy ways you can make them at home. Instead of using the sugary syrup, use 100% fruit juice, nutritious milk (which gives the snow cone a delicious, creamy texture), or even some cold tea or coffee.

Popsicles

Regular popsicles are loaded with sugar, and the dyes that are used to color them may stain teeth. Because people don’t usually bite into a popsicle and finish it off quickly, this means that your teeth are exposed to the sugars and the dyes for awhile. If you are concerned about having that sugar in contact with your teeth, there are, luckily, sugar-free popsicles available.

Ice

On a hot day, it may seem like a great idea to grab a piece of ice to chew on. However, chewing ice can lead to a cracked tooth. If you have to use ice to cool down, try sucking on a small piece instead of chewing it.

Slurpees

Does summertime bring out the kid in you? If so you may decide to head on down to your favorite mini-mart for a Slurpee right along with your kids. Although this is cool and refreshing on a hot day, it is also extremely high in sugar.

Smoothie

If you are craving a treat that won’t make your dentist cringe, your best bet may be a smoothie that you make in your very own home. Put some milk, regular yogurt, yummy summer fruit, and some ice in the blender for a delicious, cool treat that is good for teeth.

Cool summer treats are part of the fun of summer! If you are worried about the amount of sugar in these treats, try to get the low-sugar type, or make a treat at home using nutritious foods.

When having your summer fun, don’t forget to take care of your teeth! Brush, floss, and visit Dr. Smith at the Smile Institute! Call (541) 484-1955 to make an appointment today!

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When Should Parents Get Orthodontics for Children?

In the United States and Canada alone, almost 4 million people ages 18 and younger are wearing some form of corrective dental treatment, such as braces or retainers. However, according to the National Institutes of Health, most maligned bites are minor and do not need any form of treatment at all.

Children may need braces for a number of dental conditions, such as crooked teeth, a crowded jaw or a malocclusion. A malocclusion occurs when there is a difference in size between the upper and lower jaw, thus resulting in an uneven bite. An overbite occurs when the lower jaw is smaller than the upper jaw while an underbite occurs when the lower jaw is bigger.

There are also times when your child’s dental condition can be caused by losing their baby teeth too early or through habits like thumb sucking. However, most of the time, dental problems are inherited. If you or your partner has crooked teeth, chances are great that your children will have crooked teeth as well.

Talk to Your Dentist

If your child has a dental problem like an overbite or an underbite, the first thing that you should do is take the child to a dentist. You will need a special type of dentist:  an  orthodontist. An orthodontist specializes in teeth alignment and jaw alignment problems.

Here at Smile Institute, our main goal is to get our patients to smile! We have an excellent, friendly staff who would be happy to serve your dental needs. Dr. Richard Smith is accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and he has a wonderful manner with kids!

A visit to your orthodontist is the first thing on your list because your dentist will be able to tell you the steps you should take. There is actually no set age when you should take your child to see an orthodontist, but more often than not, it is when the permanent teeth start to grow. This is the time when you will notice any problems with your child’s teeth.

The Orthodontic Process

When your child visits the orthodontist, he or she will thoroughly examine the child’s mouth, teeth and jaw to determine if there are any alignment problems. Your orthodontist will also ask if your child has a history of bad oral habits, such as thumb sucking or biting down on toys. Finally, the orthodontist may decide that X-rays or molds of the teeth and the jaw are needed to diagnose your child’s jaw and teeth alignment properly.

Should Parents Wait?

Yes, the bottom line is that parents should wait for the proper diagnosis from a licensed orthodontist such as Dr. Smith before deciding to get orthodontics for their children. Orthodontics is an expensive and long-drawn process, and you want to be sure that getting them would be in the best interest of your child.

If you want to see whether or not orthodontics would be right for your child, drop by the Smile Institute at the Oakway Center, in Eugene, Oregon. If you can’t make it, we would love to hear from you! Just give us a call at 541-484-1955.

Meta description: Are you wondering if your child needs braces? A licensed orthodontist can tell you if and when you should get braces for your child. This blog will give you hints about whether you should go ahead with them.

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