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 Although some sports require children to wear protective sports mouthguards, all activities that necessitate physical contact pose a threat to athletes’teeth and gums. It is universally recommended that young athletes protect themselves from oral trauma by wearing sports mouthguards.
by Dr. Woo
As spring and a new sports season arrive, it is important to remember dental safety for our children. With kids being more active now than ever before, playing lacrosse, baseball, soccer, and many other sports; young athletes are exposed to traumatic dental injury yearround.Although some sports require children to wear protective sports mouthguards, all activities that necessitate physical contact pose a threat to athletes’ teeth and gums. That’s why sports mouthguards should be worn during all athletic activities.
While commercially manufactured protective sports mouthguards can be purchased at sporting goods stores, they are often ill fitting and uncomfortable. These mouthguards may accommodate bite changes in growing children, but they are still too bulky. Even those that are heat adapted at the store tend to provide an imprecise fit. Furthermore, children who wear corrective braces have an even more difficult time finding the right mouthguard.
Many Loudoun parents are now maintaining their children’s dental health by investing in custom-fitted protective mouthguards. Heat/vacuum-formed mouthguards and heat/pressure multilaminated mouthguards can be custom-fitted to children’s teeth in the dental office or specialized dental laboratory. These mouthguards are fabricated on a plaster or stone cast of the patient’s maxillary arch. Since they are custom-fitted, these protective devices are more comfortable and allow the young athlete to breathe and speak with greater ease than a mouthguard manufactured in bulk.
Regardless of the child’s sport of choice, it is universally recommended that young athletes protect themselves from oral trauma by wearing sports mouthguards. The protective gear can be cleansed easily using a toothbrush and toothpaste after every use. Ask your child’s dental care provider about
getting a custom-fitted mouthguard to protect their beautiful smile!
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