You’ve probably heard your dentist say “don’t forget to use a mouthguard!” a million times. While you may have heard that using these protective devices is important, you might be wondering why they’re so important and how they work. We’ve collected a few tips on the topic, and are excited to share them with you.
1. For any activity requiring a helmet, consider adding a mouthguard. If you or your child is at any risk of colliding with another person or a hard surface, a mouthguard may add to their level of facial protection. Sports like hockey, basketball, and football are particularly threatening sports in terms of level of dental danger.
2. Children with large overbites (with protruding teeth) are at increased risk for dental injuries while playing sports. It is particularly important to outfit children with overbites with mouthguards (or fix the problem with orthodontic treatment as soon as possible) so that they lessen the chances of becoming injured.
3. When it comes to styles/types, go with what is comfortable as long as it fits well. Mouthguards that fit poorly may make breathing or communicating with teammates difficult. This increases the odds of athletes taking them out, which defeats the purpose.
4. If your child plays a sport that allows or requires the use of a helmet, it is an error to assume that a mouthguard is not necessary. A major cause of concussions is the collision of upper and lower teeth after sports collisions. The mouthguard is a shock absorber and is very effective at limiting the effect of such collisions.
Dr. AJ states that “there is strong research to show protrusion of teeth is a major risk for tooth injury. We like all children over age 7 to see the orthodontist to screen for problems like this so we can hopefully address them before an injury occurs. Once there is an injury to a tooth, a lifetime of maintenance and dental work always follows. Prevention is always in the best interest of the patient.”
If you have any additional questions on the use of mouthguards, please feel free to reach out to any of our knowledgeable staff members. Our orthodontists can make custom mouthguards for patients that play heavy contact sports and this is a great investment after orthodontic treatment is completed when we do not expect the teeth to change position. We can even put your school colors or logo/emblem in the mouthguard like the professional athletes wear!
About Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan, the offices of Drs. Delaney, Plunkett, Ralstrom, Makowski, Thanasas, Ker, and Associates
Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan have specialized in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics since 1968. Our family-friendly office gives patients and families a more comfortable and consistent experience with dentistry from the very beginning. The pediatric dentists treat children from newborn to 18 years of age while our orthodontists provide care for both children and adults, including being an Invisalign preferred provider. The ability to treat all special needs patients reaches beyond our facility, which has treatment rooms available for children who require additional privacy. Valued hospital affiliations allow dental services to be performed at DMC Children’s Hospital when needed.
Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan
39400 Garfield Rd., Suite 200
Clinton Township, MI 48038
586-286-0700
www.mychildsteeth.com
