March 20, 2015

Spring Has Officially
(and in Great Style) Arrived!

We have spring fever! Spring officially begins today with the vernal equinox. At 3:45pm PST on March 20, the sun crosses the celestial equator, marking the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. But this year is special and Spring begins with a flourish! The spring equinox has the unusual distinction of coinciding with a supermoon and total solar eclipse. The last solar eclipse on either the March or September equinox was in 1662! The next solar eclipse at the March equinox will not occur again until 2034.

But this spring we don’t only have astronomical trifectas on our minds! It’s that time of year again when the whole country goes a little mad for basketball tournament brackets, obscure college mascots, and Cinderella stories. When you’re taking a break from updating your bracket with wins and losses, take a few moments to consider how you can improve your oral health game.

Wear a Mouthguard
Whether you have children that participate in sports or you are known to play some pick-up games yourself, mouthguards are a must. Basketball players are five times more likely to sustain injuries to the mouth and face than football players, so it’s especially important to provide mouth protection on the hardwood. That goes for practices, too!

Quench Your Thirst the Right Way
It may seem like second nature to grab a sports drink after a game or practice, but used too often they may be doing more harm than good. Not only are many of them loaded with sugar, they’re also highly acidic, which can be harmful to tooth enamel. A better bet for hydration after most workouts is water. If you occasionally want something different after strenuous exercise, coconut water is a low-sugar, high-electrolyte option containing tons of nutrients.

Combat Dry Mouth
Expending a lot of energy can leave athletes panting for breath, which often leads to a dry mouth. Dry mouth is the result of the absence of a normal flow of saliva. Without the normal amount of saliva flowing, food particles aren’t washed away; and if they are there too long, they will eventually cause decay and cavities – especially when you add in sugary sports drinks. Proper hydration with a sugar-free drink will help keep your mouth moist.

Whether you have Spring Fever or March Madness, whether you are an astronomy buff or are just happy that longer warmer days are here – enjoy your weekend!

To see images of today’s Solar Eclipse from the International Space Station, visit NASA the images of the day website by clicking here.