Why Your Child Needs to Wear a Mouthguard While Playing Sports

As the fall sports season gets underway, it’s time to talk about the importance of sports mouthguards. An estimated one-third of all dental injuries are sports-related. Your pediatric dental office in Spring wants the parents of our patients to know that most of these injuries can be prevented by using a properly fitted sports mouthguard. 

Common Sports-Related Dental Injuries

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry’s “Policy on Prevention of Sports-related Orofacial Injuries” attribute as many as 39% of all child dental injuries to direct hits from a ball or another player. Some of the most common injuries are: 

• Cuts to the lips, gums, cheeks, or tongue
• Chipped teeth
• Broken teeth
• Knocked out teeth
• Broken jaw

A mouthguard will greatly reduce the risk of all of these injuries. 

Different Types of Mouthguards

There are various types of sports mouthguards that can help protect your child: Stock, Boil-and-Bite, and Custom. Let’s take a closer look at each one. 

• Stock mouthguards come already formed and are usually the least expensive option. You can find them at any sporting goods store. However, these cheaper options are usually uncomfortable and don’t offer the best protection. 
• Boil-and-Bite options are exactly as they sound — you boil them until they’re soft and moldable, then you bite down gently to mold them to teeth. While offering a more custom fit, these mouthguards often require trimming, making them less effective. 
• Custom is the way to go for the best protection and most comfort. Custom-fitted mouthguards are created by a pediatric dentist in Spring from custom molds of teeth, taking each tooth and mouth size into consideration. 

Proper Mouthguard Care

To keep your child’s mouthguard in good shape and bacteria-free, it’s important to take care of it properly. 

• Rinse it with warm water after every use
• Store it in a plastic case with good ventilation
• Keep it out of extreme heat 
• Soak it briefly in mouthwash occasionally to kill germs

Since kids are constantly growing and their teeth are always shifting, you should replace a child’s mouthguard every year to year and a half. 

More Than Mouth Protection

The main purpose of a mouthguard is to protect teeth from being broken, chipped, or knocked out during competition. But these small pieces of sporting equipment can serve a bigger purpose, too. Mouthguards can cushion the jaw bones and reduce the risk of concussions. A better-fitting mouthguard will do a better job at protecting the teeth, jaw, and brain. 

This fall sports season, and during all contact sports, make sure your child is wearing a properly fitted mouthguard at all times. It’s a simple way to save your little one from a dental emergency and your wallet from costly care. Schedule an appointment with your Spring pediatric dentist to find the best sports mouthguard for your kid today.

About The Author

Dr. Leslie Blackburn

Dr. Leslie Blackburn always knew she wanted to work with children and decided to pursue a career in pediatric dentistry. She enrolled at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, where she received her Doctorate of Dental Surgery and Master of Science in Dental Education. She finished the last leg of her education at Yale University, where she obtained her certificate in Pediatric Dentistry.

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