Importance of Mouthguards During Your Child’s Sports

During sports months, we encourage children to be outdoors and active! Team and contact sports like basketball, soccer, wrestling, and baseball can be great for exercise and team-building, but they can also be potentially damaging to your child’s dental health. In this article, we’ll discuss the types of activities that can be made safer through the use of a custom-fit mouthguard for your child.

Sports and Your Child’s Mouthguards

Below are a few of the sports that can cause oral health problems for your child without the use of a mouthguard:

• Team Sports – Summer league soccer, softball, or baseball can pose risks of accidental contact with other players or with the ball. Make sure your child’s head and teeth are cushioned to keep his or her oral health intact!
• Water Sports – Falling down during water sports can cause the mouth to collide with your skis or surfboard. Wearing a mouthguard during water sports can reduce the chance of dental injuries.
• Wheeled Sports – Biking, skateboarding, and rollerblading have all proven that concrete is no match for your child’s teeth. In addition to wearing a helmet, we recommend wearing a mouthguard as well.
• Court Sports – Lastly, court sports like handball or tennis may not be contact sports, but your child’s teeth can still be damaged by an accidental backhand or and unexpected bounce.

If your child already uses a mouthguard as part of his or her sports gear, keep up the good work! If not, please make an appointment here at Little Smiles of Delaware here in Delaware, Ohio. We can create a custom mouthguard for your child that will protect the teeth and soft tissues of the mouth during sports and other activities.