Sports Mouth Guard
Covington, WA
Custom Sports Mouthguards provided by Kyle S. Blair, DDS
in Covington, WA at Covington Family Dental
Mouth guards are essential to protect kids who play contact sports. Even if your child is in elementary school and playing football, they can receive a blow to the mouth that could knock a tooth out. At Covington Family Dental, we can provide you with all the information you need to make the right choice for your child.
When Do You Need to Use Mouthguards for Sports?
Most people associate football with mouthguards for sports, but this is not the only activity where kids should be protecting their teeth from a blow to the face. Many sports fall under the category of contact sports.
The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that children who participate in the following sports and activities use mouthguards.
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Football
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Basketball
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Soccer
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Hockey
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Handball
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Gymnastics
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Rugby
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Shot put
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Skateboard
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Skiing
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Skydiving
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Lacrosse
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Martial arts
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Baseball
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Softball
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Volleyball
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Weightlifting
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Water polo
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Wrestling |
Why are Mouthguards for Sports Important?
Any time there is contact in a sport, there is an increased risk for a blow to the face. This can heighten the chances of getting hit in the mouth and losing teeth because of the trauma. With the increase in popularity of physical activities such as sports or other recreational pastimes, the risk for injury to the teeth is higher, and we see many patients who come in with teeth that are loose, broken or cracked.
Even when children are roughhousing while playing in the backyard, they could get hit in the mouth. However, according to the National Youth Sports Foundation, an athlete is 60 times more likely to suffer damage to his or her front teeth. In many cases, losing a tooth will require additional dental treatment which could include surgery and dental implants to replace teeth that cannot be saved.
Mouthguards can help reduce the chances of damage to the teeth while playing sports or participating in other physical activities.
Types of Mouthguards
The good news is that it’s relatively easy to prevent damage to the teeth by using mouthguards. This appliance usually goes over the front teeth, which are more susceptible to injury from a blow to the face. There are two types of mouthguards you can choose from:
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Custom made mouthguards. These are made in our office after taking an impression of your bite and will fit perfectly. The disadvantage of using custom-made mouthguards for young children is that they may need to be fitted often due to growth and change in their teeth alignment.
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Over-the-counter. You can purchase cheaper versions at your local pharmacy or retail store. These mouthguards are effective and much better than not using anything, but they may not fit as comfortably as a custom-made one. |
With proper care, a mouthguard for sports could last three to five years. Realistically, you may need to adjust a custom-made mouthguard sooner than that because of growth factors and changes in your child’s mouth, including the use of braces.
Please call Covington Family Dental at 253.499.6155 and let us know if you have any questions or concerns about using mouthguards for sports. |
