Protect Your Young Athlete’s Teeth with a Mouthguard

Schools are back in session and students are back on the playing field. Football season is gearing up and some students are getting outfitted to play lacrosse or other sports. This year is particularly exciting for young athletes since they had to sit it out last year due to the pandemic.

If your child is participating in sports, you want to make sure they have adequate protective gear. This includes a mouthguard to protect their teeth. A customized mouthguard does a lot to keep your child from losing a tooth, experiencing mouth trauma and may even prevent a concussion.

High Risk Sports

Everyone is aware of the fact that football is a high-risk sport for mouth trauma. Football and other sports such as ice hockey and lacrosse require players to wear a mouthguard as part of their protective gear. This small dental appliance lowers the risk of traumatic mouth injuries. Other sports are not as well regulated.

There are many sports and leisure activities that do not require a mouthguard, even though wearing one would reduce the likelihood of a traumatic mouth injury. Basketball, baseball, soccer, softball, wrestling, volleyball and gymnastics are all high-risk sports for mouth injury. In fact, baseball and basketball have the highest risk of sports-related mouth trauma for young people.

Studies have concluded that kids from 7-12 years old who are involved in baseball accounted for the most dental injuries. Basketball players from the ages of 13-17 accounted for the most dental injuries of that age group, but it is not just the ball players who suffer from mouth trauma.

Roller skating, inline skating, bicycling and skateboarding are also high-risk activities. In fact, of all the sports products, bicycles are the most common sports products related to dental injuries in kids.

The Custom-Made Mouthguard Advantages

You can get over-the-counter mouthguards; however, be aware that they provide a limited amount of protection. The advantages of the custom-made mouthguard are many. First, they are constructed to the exact fit of the child’s mouth. An impression of your child’s mouth is made and the mouthguard is constructed from an exact model of the teeth.

The custom-made mouthguard is professionally fitted and checked by your child’s dentist to ensure that it will provide the necessary protection. It is also checked for comfort. An ill-fitting mouthguard is more likely to be worn incorrectly or not at all.

There are plenty of athletes, young, amateur and professional, who have suffered mouth trauma due to lack of an adequate mouthguard. Prevent your child from joining these ranks by scheduling an appointment with one of our dentists from ConfiDENT for a new mouthguard. We will help keep your child’s smile healthy and protected.