Kids and Mouthguards
Today, it is very common that children are involved in some form of sporting activity, from football to dance. Over two million teeth are knocked out every year in the U.S. largely during sporting activities. Wearing a mouthguard could have prevented a lot of those incidents.
According to the Academy of General Dentistry, dental injuries are more than 60 times more likely to occur without a mouthguard and sports players have a 1-in-10 chance of sustaining a face or dental injury during a season. A mouthguard is made of soft plastic and is customized to fit tightly around the upper teeth. Although a lot of sports do not require that their athletes were mouthguards during practice or the games, it is recommended that active children still wear one.
A mouthguard can save your child from painful injuries. If your child is involved in a high contact sport, you expect to pay for pads, helmets, shinguards or any other protective devices. However, most parents forget about the importance of protecting the mouth because a facial injury can have negative effects on your child, physically and emotionally.
The following is a list of what a mouthguard does to protect your child’s teeth:
- Absorbs the force of a blow to the lower jaw, which then lowers the risk of concussion
- Prevents the risk of injury to the upper front teeth
- Protects the teeth and gums of the children that wear removable orthodontic devices. The mouthguard holds them in place so that if the child were to get hit, the device would not block the airway
- Lowers the risk of damage to the jaw and teeth when the jaw snaps
- Reduces the risk of cuts and bruises to the tongue, lips and cheeks
Understanding the risks involved for a child in a sport that does not wear a mouthguard could persuade you into talking with your dentist. Talk to them and see if a mouthguard is right for your child.
