If your child is involved in sports, you do everything you can to make sure he or she is as safe as possible. Protective gear is commonly worn during youth sports, including shoulder pads, shin guards and helmets. However, the teeth are often forgotten and commonly go without adequate protection, even though oral sports injuries are quite common. In fact, more than 5 million teeth are damaged or lost each year as a direct result of trauma and sports injuries. In many of these cases, dental damage can be attributed to ill-fitting or poorly manufactured mouthguards, or the lack of mouthguards altogether.
Since National Childhood Injury Prevention Week is coming up during the week of September 1-7, 2017, it’s a great time to evaluate your child’s oral safety and make sure he or she is well protected while playing youth sports in Waco, TX.
How Mouthguards Work
As the name suggests, mouthguards are designed to “guard” the mouth and protect it from injury. When no protective dental gear is worn and a child receives a direct impact to the oral area, the teeth and skull absorb the full force of the impact. As a result, the teeth can fracture or fall out completely. When a mouthguard is worn, it absorbs much of the shock of impact and may prevent damage or loss of teeth. It may also reduce the risk of concussion, brain injuries and damage to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
No mouthguard is foolproof, and it is possible for your child to sustain oral damage even while wearing one. However, the chance of your child losing one or more teeth due to a sports injury decreases notably when he or she wears a quality mouthguard that fits properly.
Schedule a Mouthguard Fitting
If your child is involved in youth sports, make sure he or she is fitted with a quality mouthguard in Waco, TX. Dr. Donna Miller and Dr. Michelle Hinds are skilled in creating custom mouth (occlusal) guards that can protect your child’s jaw and teeth during physical activity. To schedule an appointment, call Creekwood Dental Arts.