News - Students Touch Down for Dental Advice and Gum Shields
Around 40 members of the Truro College First XV rugby team are to benefit from the skills of students from the Peninsula Dental School, when they visit the Dental Education Facility at Treliske in March.
The group of 17 and 18-year-olds will learn about general dental health and issues around facial trauma and sport. They will also be fitted for gum shields by students from the Peninsula Dental School under supervision by trained dental teaching staff.
Under general dental health they will learn about the impact of sports drinks on oral health, how to identify hidden sugars, look at the factors associated with sports drinks and tooth erosion, and investigate suitable alternatives to sports drinks for hydration.
The players will also learn about trauma to teeth and the bones that surround them, and how to avoid and manage such injuries. They will also learn about the features and benefits of the different gum shields and guards on the market.
Each player will have an impression taken of their teeth and gums by Peninsula Dental School students, and they will all return a few weeks' later to have their gum shields fitted.
The information and impression session will take place on 3rd March, while fittings will take place on 17th March.
Dr. Sarah Duffy, Year 3 Lead at the Peninsula Dental School, commented: "This represents great experience for our students and the opportunity for them to provide practical advice and gum shields to the rugby players at Truro College. Our students spend a lot of time on Special Study Units in the community. It is great experience for them and also allows us to give something back to the communities in which we operate. I cannot stress enough the importance of this interaction to the development of our students and we are hugely indebted to Truro College for this opportunity."
William Davies, from Truro College added: "All of the young men attending this event have the potential to be leading rugby players. They all play for our first team which is part of the AASE League, the top league in the UK. The advice and support they will receive from students at the Peninsula Dental School will be valuable to them now and throughout their careers. We are also very excited about developing our relationship with the Peninsula Dental School over the coming years."