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Mouth guards: protecting your smile

Today sports are more extreme than ever. It seems like every soft drink company has their own extreme sports tour: bikers, skaters, wake borders. You name it. “No guts, no glory” isn’t just a saying- its how we play. Food for thought: when you’re going big, just make sure you go home with all your teeth.

Flag football, softball, inline skating, racquetball, basketball and mountain biking; all of these sports and many more pose inherit risks. Included in these risks is the chance of trauma to your face and teeth. Those who wear mouth protection are 60 percent less likely to receive damage to their teeth than those without. Mouth guards can also serve to protect your lips, gums, and tongue from being injured in the case of facial trauma.

These devices act to cushion a blow or impact to the chin and face and can even decrease the likelihood of a concussion.
There are three basic types of mouthguards: stock, boil-n-bite, and custom. Both stock and boil-n-bite types are available at most sports and super stores.

Stock guards are the least comfortable and typically are utilized by fully biting into the guard, preventing effective communication and mouth breathing. The boil-n-bite is similar, but are better fitting. For active duty members, the boil-n-bite type is free at the dental clinic.

Whatever your sport or whatever you play, making the right choice to wear a mouth guard will not only have your dentist smiling; you’ll be smiling as well, with all of your teeth. If you have any questions concerning athletic mouth guards, contact the dental clinic at 987-7304.


Little Rock SNCO swings for success

A total of 38 players from Air Forces bases around the world teed-off in a four round golf tournament at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., recently to determine the Air Force’s best of the best and a Little Rock AFB senior NCO was in that mix. Master Sgt. Robert Walters, a C-130J Evaluator Loadmaster with the 714th Training Squadron, was selected to compete in the 2007 All Air Force Golf Championship Sept. 14 through 20. The top six men and top three women golfers advanced to represent the Air Force in the 2007 Armed Forces Golf Championship at Naval Air Station Oceana, Va., Sept. 21 through Thursday.

Ms. Lisa Stone, 314th Service Squadron deputy commander, made the announcement earlier this month, congratulating Master Sgt. Roberts and wishing him the best of luck at the tournament.

The Little Rock AFB loadmaster had a strong showing at the Air Force event, ending day one with a respectable 76. He was in the top third of all male golfers at the end of day two, shooting a 78. This gave him a two day total of 154. He remained consistent the next two days, scoring a 79 and a 76 respectively.

Overall, Master Sgt. Walters tied three other male golfers to land in the middle of the pack. His four day, 72 hole total was a 309.

The Air Force golf tournament is an annual event with the location changes each year, said Mr. Tim Smith, 20th Services Squadron Carolina Lakes Golf Course manager. “This year, our golf course was chosen and it’s a great opportunity for Shaw to be able to take part in such a huge event.”

This year’s winner were: Chief Master Sgt. Mark Gardiner, Scott AFB, Ill; Airman 1st Class Jonathan Hanner, Offutt AFB, Neb.; Master Sgt. Michael Batten, Randolph AFB, Texas; Capt. Geoffrey Mann, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; Tech. Sgt. Jason Perry, Ramstein Air Base, Germany; Capt. Linda Jeffery, Offutt AFB; 1st Lt. Maria Gronning, Buckley AFB, Colo. and 1st Lt. Lori Bartz, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.

The top players from the Armed Forces Championship will go on to represent the U.S. armed forces in a world military tournament in Sun City, South Africa, Saturday through Oct. 6. (Information for this article complied from various sources.)


Bass Club to meet Oct. 9

The Little Rock Air Force Base Bass Club will hold a membership meeting at 6 p.m. Oct. 9 at the American Pie Pizza in North Little Rock. The club instills a team concept of which one member of the team must be associated with the Dept. of Defense, i.e.; Active Duty military, Retired military, Guard, Reservists or a DoD contractor. For more information please visit the Web site www.lrafbbaclub.com or call Eric at 259-9373.


CC golf tourney canceled

The 314th Airlift Wing commander's golf tournament scheduled for Friday, Oct. 5 has been canceled. This fundraiser was slated during the Combined Federal Campaign season. To avoid interfering with the fundraising drive, the golf tournament will be held at a later date.