Dr. Jared in the News

Local Dentist Encourages Sports Safety for Young Athletes

Spokane Valley, WA

Jacob shows off his muscles AND his new custom mouthguard. 

Most parents with active kids understand that mouth guards protect their children’s teeth from trauma when they are engaged in active play.  Many parents don’t know, however, that wearing a mouth guard while playing sports helps prevent a concussion.  Dr. Jared Evans of KiDDS Dental in Liberty Lake has spent the spring and summer educating the parents of baseball and football players about the benefits of a properly fitted mouth guard.

This spring, Dr. Evans offered each participant of the Riverview Little League and the G-Men Football organization a free custom fitted mouth guard.  To date, Dr. Evans has fitted and delivered 28 free custom fit mouth guards to eligible baseball and football players.  Dr. Evans says, “I went to a symposium this spring where professional athletes and their dentist discussed the importance of a proper fitted mouth guard to prevent oral-facial injuries, to deter concussion and to enhance performance.  I wanted to share this information not only with my patients, but to all children who are actively participating in sports.  The leagues that I partnered with were eager to share the message.”  When asked about the variety of mouth guards available, he responded,“The custom fitted ones, like the ones I’ve been making for athletes through this promotion, are the best as they are made from a mold of the athlete’s teeth so that they fit securely. However, they are the most expensive type. If you aren’t going to go to a dentist to have a custom mouth guard made, the ‘boil and bite’ style you can find at the store will be more effective than the pre-formed style.  Any mouth guard is better than none.”  Dr. Evans recommends that participants in any sport where there is a likelihood of contact with other participants or playing surfaces wear a mouth guard during games and practices.

Dr. Jared Evans is a pediatric dentist at KiDDS Dental in Liberty Lake, WA.  He is available to provide more information at 509-891-7070, or visit KiDDS Dental online at http://www.growupsmiling.com/.

Activities That Teach Respect

This month's PACE character trait is Respect.  With school starting, it's the perfect time of the year to talk to your children about how to put their best foot forward when meeting their new teachers and classmates.  Here are some activities (from eHow.com) to help you teach respect at home:

Explain Why Manners Are Important

When teaching your children manners, explain why the desired behavior is so important.  For example, explain that thanking someone for a gift shows how much we appreciate the thought, time and money that went into choosing and purchasing the gift.  A child needs to hear that we look people in the eye when they speak to us to show that we are respectful listeners, and we don't interrupt.  Don't assume your children will naturally know these things without being told.

 

Household Rules

In their book "Teaching Your Children Values," co-authors Richard and Linda Eyre say, "Extend respect and then expect respect." Establish household rules, the same way teachers do in a classroom, so that your children know what behavior is expected of them. When sibling quarrels escalate, gently warn your children that they are beginning to show each other disrespect. When you see your children showing respect for another person, compliment them.

Real Life Teachable Moments

Because children learn so much through experience, take the opportunity to have a discussion with your child when you see someone acting either very respectfully or very disrespectfully. If you encounter a disrespectful individual when your child is with you, resist the urge to respond in anger. According to the U.S. Department of Education, "our examples of good behavior can teach our children to take the high road when other roads look tempting."

Role Play

Role playing is a wonderful way to demonstrate a concept for elementary-aged children. Role play a disagreement between two people, so your children learn that they can disagree without disrespecting. If your child has a birthday party coming up, role play with him how he will greet his guests and thank them for his gifts.

Read About Respect

When reading to your child, choose titles that demonstrate characters learning about and showing respect.  Recommend such titles to your children who read independently.  Some titles to explore are "Dragonfly's Tale," by Kristina Rodanas (Gr. K-2); "Through Grandpa's Eyes," by Patricia Maclachlan (Gr. 3-4); and "The Cay," by Theodore Taylor (Gr. 5-6).  Your public library's children's librarian or school librarian can suggest new titles to you that deal with the theme of respect.