As a parent, you have the power to reduce your child's risk of sports dental injuries. Partner with Hines Little Smiles Pediatric Dentistry to keep your kids in the game and away from dental mishaps.
High-impact or contact sports, such as football or soccer, can cause some of the following types dental injuries:
If your child loses a tooth or has a broken tooth, gather the pieces of the tooth and put them into a glass of milk. Take your child and the glass of milk with the tooth to an emergency dentist right away. The chances of saving the tooth increase the faster you can get the child to the dentist.
You can help your kids to avoid losing teeth when they play sports. Helping your kids to understand sports safety, to develop the habit of using protective gear, and to wear well-fitting athletic mouthguards are good first steps to protecting their teeth from injuries.
Check with your kids' coaches to ensure that they teach their players both safety and game rules. Adults on the field should ensure that all players follow sports safety rules at all times.
Make sure that your kids always wear proper protective gear when playing or practicing. The gear will depend on the type of sport that they play, but almost all contact sports have some type of safety gear players need to wear. Helmets with face guards may also protect your children's teeth from getting damaged, especially when they wear their helmets with properly fitting mouthguards.
Getting your children athletic mouthguards may be the most important step you can take to helping them avoid dental injuries. Sports mouthguards cover and cushion the teeth. The extra cushioning secures the teeth during impacts, reducing the chances of cracked or lost teeth.
Dental organizations recognize the importance of mouthguards in preventing dental and head injuries. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) official position actively encourages the use of properly fitting sports mouthguards, especially for children. Additionally, the Academy for Sports Dentistry (ASD) cites the reduction in dental injuries and concussions when wearing mouthguards in its official position statement supporting the use of these dental appliances.
As a parent, you have have several options for mouthguards for your kids to wear when playing sports. The most common include:
When choosing mouthguards, the best option, according to AAPD, is a custom-fitted pediatric mouthguard for each of your children, created by their dentist.
While the mouthguard cost of a dentist-fitted model will be higher than an over-the-counter option, you will get a return on your investment in several ways, according to the ASD:
Our experts in pediatric dentistry at Hines Little Smiles focus on your kids' comfort while attending to their dental health. If you need pediatric mouthguards for your young athletes, set up a visit with us. We can't wait to help your kids to keep their smiles while they enjoy the sports they love.
Call 614-475-5439 or request an appointment online to set up your first visit. We’ll be in touch soon.
