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As the beginning of the school year draws near, many children are excited to participate in their favorite fall sports. That also means it’s time for parents to get their children fitted with sports mouth guards.
But why does your child need a mouth guard? Because it can protect them from a variety of injuries one can sustain while participating in sports. Athletes are 60 times more likely to experience tooth damage when they don’t wear a mouth guard, with those involved in contact sports having a 10 percent chance of getting a tooth or jaw injury each season. Here’s what you need to know.
Types of Dental Injuries
Injuries to the teeth can be grouped into three main categories, each requiring specific care and immediate attention.
| Type of Injury | Description | Immediate Care Instructions |
|---|---|---|
| Fracture | Can be classified as a root fracture, broken tooth, or chipped tooth. | – Stabilize the portion of the tooth still in the mouth by gently biting on a towel to control bleeding. – Collect any tooth fragments. – Transport the athlete and tooth fragments immediately to a dentist. – Best transport methods: Hank’s Balanced Salt Solution, milk, saline-soaked gauze, or under the athlete’s tongue. |
| Avulsion | The entire tooth, including the root, is completely knocked out. | – Handle the tooth only by the crown, not the root. – Do not brush, scrub, or sterilize the tooth. – If dirty, gently rinse with water. – If possible, reinsert the tooth into the socket and have the athlete gently bite down on a towel. – If reinsertion isn’t possible, transport the tooth with the athlete in Hank’s Balanced Salt Solution, milk, saline-soaked gauze, or under the tongue, and go to a dentist immediately. |
| Luxation | The tooth remains in the socket but is displaced or misaligned. – Extruded Tooth: Appears longer than surrounding teeth. – Lateral Displacement: Tooth pushed backward or pulled forward. | – Do not attempt to reposition the tooth yourself. – Seek emergency dental care immediately for proper evaluation and repositioning. |
Mouth Guards for Protection
A mouth guard is a simple item that protects the teeth and jaw from damage related to impacts. It protects soft tissues from lacerations, reduces the chance of TMJ trauma and jaw fractures, and helps limit the risk of tooth damage related to impact or even unconscious grinding. They can even reduce the likelihood of a concussion from certain impacts.
Even with all of the benefits, nearly 84 percent of children aren’t wearing mouth guards when they play sports. And that means they are at risk.
Why a Custom Mouth Guard is Best
Some parents assume the basic mouth guards you can buy at the local store offer enough protection, but a custom fitted mouth guard from your El Paso dentist is actually a much better option. Stock mouth guards that aren’t moldable can easily come loose during sports and may even fall out. They are also less comfortable than other options and tend to be bulky.
A boil and bite mouth guard purchased at a store offers a bit of a better fit, since they can be somewhat molded to your child’s teeth, but they also don’t provide the same secure fit that you can get with a custom mouth guard.
Functions of Mouthguards for Sports: How They Keep Players Safe
Mouthguards do more than just protect your teeth — they play an important role in keeping your entire mouth and jaw safe during sports. Here’s how they help:
Cushion the teeth and jaw: A mouthguard acts like a shock absorber, softening the impact of any hits or falls during contact sports.
Prevent jaw injuries: It helps protect your temporomandibular joints (TMJ) — the joints that move your jaw — from fractures or damage caused by sudden force or awkward angles.
Support the neck and jaw area: The reinforcement a mouthguard provides can reduce strain on your neck and lower face during play.
Reduce risk of head and brain injuries: By absorbing and spreading out impact forces, mouthguards can help minimize trauma that might affect your head or nervous system.
Protect the tongue and soft tissues: They prevent accidental bites to the tongue and reduce cuts or injuries inside the mouth.
Improve jaw alignment and stability: If you have misaligned teeth or uneven jaw growth, a mouthguard helps create a balanced bite, offering better support during activity.
Enhance athletic performance: When made with a proper bite fit, a custom mouthguard can even help improve breathing, balance, and endurance.
Now that you understand how important mouthguards are for athletes, it’s a good idea to visit a local sports dentist. They can help you choose the right mouthguard type, size, and material for your comfort and safety.
The dentist can ensure the custom mouth guard fits properly, providing the best level of protection available. This is especially true for children who use dental appliances, as finding a comfortable fit with store-bought options can often be a challenge in these situations.
Your El Paso dentist can even create a mouth guard for your child that features some extra flare. They can be made in a variety of colors, including options that match most school sports team uniforms, allowing your child to show their school pride with every smile on the court or field.
The process of creating a custom mouth guard is fairly quick and easy, and the results offer the best protection available. If you want to learn more about custom mouth guard options, schedule an appointment with Cielo Dental & Orthodontics today.
