Participating in athletic events and on recreational teams can be a great experience for children of all ages. Whether it’s on the football field, the tennis court, the hockey rink, or anywhere sports are played, your child will create memories that last a lifetime. Not to mention the friendships they make with other players can become the strongest and most rewarding they ever have.
Hundreds of thousands of children every year participate in recreational sporting teams and activities. Some of the rougher sports can damage teeth or pose a threat to dental health. Oftentimes, the most common problems associated with sports as it pertains to dentistry is chipped or damaged teeth.
However, there are a few ways you can help your child prevent these problems from ever coming up. For many contact sports, mouth guards are used to prevent potential accidents from occuring. As is the case with all other preventative procedures, every case is different.
Augusta Pediatric Dentistry can help your child decide which type of mouthguard is right for them. There are three main types of mouthguards available: stock, boil-and-bite, and custom-fitted.
Stock mouthguards and boil-and-bite mouthguards are readily available in most sporting goods stores. However, these will not usually fit your child’s mouth correctly. Stock mouthguards can’t be changed in any way, so if they don’t fit right immediately they won’t fit right at all.
Boil-and-bite mouthguards can be molded slightly as far as where indents are found, but the jaw structure is immovable.
Custom-fitted mouthguards, on the other hand, are specifically designed to fit your child’s mouth. This allows your child’s mouthguard to be a perfect fit for your child’s teeth. This can greatly decrease the risk of tooth damage or loss while they’re on the field or court.
Your child’s experiences in athletic clubs and teams will bring them countless memories. Make sure those memories aren’t riddled with lost or damaged teeth by consulting with Dr. Miller and his staff today!