Kid's Sports: Mouthguard or No?

Do you have a rising star in your family who’s got big hoop dreams?  Making sure they’re safe while they play contact sports, such as football or basketball, is a major concern for parents, but there’s an often overlooked piece of equipment that’s vital to your child’s oral health: the mouthguard.

Dental injuries are the most common facial injury that happens during sports.  A blow to the mouth can cause tooth loss and even concussions. Making sure your child is wearing a mouthguard is the best way to prevent these kinds of injuries.

When shopping for kid’s mouthguards, there are three major types:

1. Stock mouth protectors – These are the versions that you can buy in department stores and sporting goods stores.  They come ready to wear and are pretty inexpensive. However, they’re bulky and not likely to fit your child’s mouth very well, nor can they really be adjusted.  Another problem with these is that since they make breathing and talking difficult, your child will probably end up chewing and fidgeting with it more than they actually wear it over their teeth.

2. Boil and bite mouth protectors –  The boil-and-bite versions can also be bought at most sporting goods stores.  They may offer a better fit for your child’s mouth because they are made of a thermoplastic material that is placed in hot water to make it softer and more flexible.  From there, you place it in your child’s mouth and have them bite down while it’s shaped into place.

3. Custom-fitted mouth protectors – The custom mouth protector are available through your Arizona dentist.  They are individually designed and made in the dental office or a professional laboratory based on your dentist’s instructions.  A children’s dentist can make a custom mouthguard that provides the most comfort and protection for your child’s teeth.  First, your dentist will make an impression of your teeth and a mouth guard is then molded over the model using a special material.  This type of mouthguard provides the most comfort and protection while still allowing your child to talk and breathe during play.

Talk to your Phoenix pediatric dentist about the different mouthguard options and how to encourage your child to wear this vital piece of equipment every time.