Certain physical activities and many sports can lead to traumatic facial injuries that damage teeth and gums. In addition to being quite painful, facial trauma from contact sports or an accidental fall during practice or a game could knock out teeth, lacerate soft oral tissue, and break facial bones.
When you bring your child to our practice for routine checkups and cleanings, our pediatric dentist may inquire about your child’s extra-curricular activities including sports and hobbies. Some activities are more dangerous than others are and for this reason, our practice may recommend the use of a custom mouth guard to help parents protect their children’s oral health during sports and active hobbies.
What activities and sports pose the highest risks for injury?
Contact sports—especially ones like football, wrestling, and martial arts greatly increase a child or teenager’s risk for facial injuries. Unfortunately, contact and team sports are not the only way traumatic dental injuries occur. Solo activities like horseback riding or skateboarding are also dangerous to one’s dental health. If you are curious about whether a particular sport or hobby is a danger to your child, speak with our team and we can help you take precautionary measures, if necessary.
Are mouth guards comfortable?
Since we provide custom mouth guards, our patients report that these protective appliances are quite comfortable when worn. This is because the mouth guard is designed specifically for the size and shape of a patient’s mouth. Moreover, the pliable materials used to make mouth guards will cover the teeth and gum line properly.
What about other protective gear such as helmets and chin guards?
Helmets and chin guards are other common devices used to help diminish the impact of injuries and facial trauma. This protective gear might be used in conjunction with mouth guards during sports to help reduce the severity of injury.
If you have questions about protective sportswear, we recommend speaking with our pediatric dentist. Call our office to reserve a checkup at Richardson Dentistry today!
