Protect Your Child’s Smile this Sports Season With a Sports Mouthguard

Without a Sports Mouthguard, Your Child’s Smile May be at Serious Risk.

Youth sports season is an exciting time for children to let loose and burn some of that bottomless energy–but that doesn’t mean they should go out unprotected. Most sports require players to wear a sports mouthguard to keep them safe from any potential impacts to the mouth. You don’t need to experience a sharp blow to the mouth to know that it can hurt–a lot. Before letting your child take part in any sport, make sure they’re fitted for a sports mouthguard.

Here’s a brief overview of how sports mouthguards can keep your child’s smile safe this sports season, as well as simple mouthguard care tips to keep it functioning at its best.

How Does a Mouthguard Work?

A mouthguard, or mouth protector, is a flexible shield that covers the teeth and acts as a cushion for any blows to the face. This protector is a prime necessity for athletes who take part in collision and contact sports– even sports that don’t require much contact – including:

• Basketball
• Softball
• Football
• Rugby
• Martial Arts
• Bicycling
• Soccer
• Lacrosse

There are three kinds of sports mouthguards to choose from:

A custom mouthguard is fitted to your child’s teeth and offers the greatest level of protection from contact during sports. While it is more costly than other mouthguard options, it’s the most guaranteed method of preventing sports related injuries.

Stock mouthguards are pre-molded and ready to wear. The downside is that, often times, they’re not the safest fit for your child’s teeth and can make breathing and talking difficult due to its bulky composition.

Boil and bite mouth protectors are first softened in boiled water and then fitted into the mouth. These mouthguards can be found at most drugstores and can offer more protection than ready-made stock mouthguards, but can still leave your child susceptible to injuries that a custom mouthguard prevents.

For ultimate safety, families who visit our dental office are advised to create a custom mouthguard for their child when engaging in sports. After all, nothing says protection like a product that is made to work for YOU.

Mouthguards and Safety Against

When playing any sport, accidents are bound to happen. The safety equipment worn is made to ease the severity of the impact, and mouthguards are no exception. Sports mouthguards can protect your child from a variety of mouth and neck related injuries. They’re also effective in preventing lacerations and bruising of the lips and cheeks. Here are some interesting facts from Sports Dentistry Online to help put the importance of a mouthguard into perspective:

• An athlete is 60 times more likely to sustain an injury to the teeth when not wearing a sports mouthguard
• Mouthguards contribute to the prevention of about 200,000 a year in high school and college athletes
• Dental injuries are the most common kind of orofacial injury during sports

The below infographic provides an overview of just how much of a protective impact wearing a mouthguard can have on your child:

Caring For Your Mouthguard

Much like retainers need special care to keep them functioning, mouthguards should also be properly cleaned and cared for in between sports games. When caring for a mouthguard, be sure to:

• Brush the mouthguard with a toothbrush and toothpaste
• Use cool, soapy water to rinse the mouthguard on occasion
• Use a well ventilated container to store the mouthguard (storing it in a completely closed off container can harbor bacteria and bad odor)
• Keep the mouthguard away from the sun, hot water or hot surfaces
• Check for wear and tear while cleaning the mouthguard to ensure it’s still safe to use

Choose the Best Mouthguard Option for Your Child this Sports Season

A custom mouthguard is the best option to keep your child’s smile safe during sports season. Beaufils Dental assists families in the Cooper City area with fitting their child for a custom sports mouthguard. When enrolling your child in a sport that requires a mouthguard, remember: it may be more costly to repair sports related injuries to the mouth (such as fractured tooth or teeth) than it is to fit your child with a custom mouthguard to prevent injury altogether.

Make your child’s safety a top priority this sports season with a mouth protector that is guaranteed to keep them safe and focused on having fun. Contact us today at 954-252-1390 to schedule an appointment for your child before sports season is underway.