The Benefits of Sports Guards for Kids

Here are the benefits sports mouthguards can offer your child:

Safety First

Of course, sports guards don’t just serve to protect your children’s teeth from harm — they can also protect them from injuries to the head, face, or neck. These guards can guard your kids’ smiles during contact sports and activities where falling and collisions are likely. Our dentist in Palo Alto can custom-design your child’s sports guard for a perfect fit. And, of course, a sports guard should be comfortable enough to wear without causing any irritation in the mouth.

Protecting the Teeth

Custom-made sports guards are a must for athletes of all ages, from toddlers to teenagers and adults. These appliances are designed to shield the teeth against injury during athletic activities. Although they may not be necessary for all situations, they can be essential in preventing or reducing damage to teeth due to falls and blows to the face. They can also help to prevent concussions during a sport, as they protect both the upper and lower jaw. Many professional sports leagues even require kids to wear mouthguards during games! That’s why it’s important to have your child fitted for a custom-made mouthguard by a dentist before the start of every sports season.

Sports guards are an excellent option for kids because they are far more comfortable than bulky store-bought varieties. Plus, professional-grade mouthguards are made of high-quality materials which will maintain their shape over time.

Preventing Injuries

While protecting your smile while playing sports is important at any age, it is especially crucial for kids. That’s because teeth are developing until around age 6, so any trauma to the mouth or jaw can have a major impact on development.

The most frequent oral injury in sports is a broken tooth. Any blow to the face can cause teeth to chip or break, but having a quality mouthguard can prevent these types of issues from causing long-term damage, such as the need for a root canal or a dental implant for restoration in the future. Mouthguards cushion the blow and protect the entire oral cavity from being damaged.

A mouthguard can also prevent severe injuries to the teeth and jaw. When children wear mouthguards while playing contact sports, they can avoid serious injuries like a broken jaw, neck, or face as a result of impact during play. Mouthguards can also reduce the risk of concussion when worn properly.

If your child plays a contact sport, consider asking the pediatric dentist about a custom-fitted mouth guard. They suggest that your child wears their mouthguard during practice as well as games for the best protection against injury and to promote dental health. To learn more about Little Bytes Pediatric Dentistry, Palo Alto, or to schedule an appointment to meet our dentists and team, call us!