San Francisco and Marin CA
As a parent, you want your child to be active and healthy, and playing sports is one way to help your child reach those goals, as well as learn good sportsmanship and how to be a team player. Unfortunately, being involved in sports increases a child’s risk of injury, specifically to the mouth or face. According to one study, about 30 million children and teens participate in sports in the United States, and more than five million teeth are avulsed or knocked out every year. The study also concludes that these injuries result in a whopping $500 million in cost for care, with the average treatment over a lifetime for an avulsed (knocked out of the socket) tooth ranging between $5,000 to $20,000 per tooth, per person! Not to mention, parents must take time off from work to take their children to receive necessary emergency care for dental injuries. Kids that participate in high-contact sports are at the most risk of injuries resulting in tooth avulsion, but kids participating in basketball, baseball, and martial arts are at risk as well. Like many other health-related diseases and injuries, prevention efforts can go a long way in protecting your child, and their oral health.
How Bay Area dentists can help protect your child’s teeth
The easiest and most affordable way to protect your child’s teeth while they play sports is to have them wear a custom sports guard. Sports guards are made of a comfortable yet durable material that covers the teeth while allowing the wearer to breathe without any issues and speak clearly. When worn as directed, a sports guard reduces the risk of your childing injuring or permanently damaging a tooth and reduces the risk of injuring soft tissue like busting their lips, cutting their gum tissue, and biting their tongue. This protection is especially necessary for children or teens undergoing orthodontic care with braces because a mild injury to the face could result in oral tissue lacerations.
Which type of sports guard is right for my child?
If you’ve browsed sporting goods stores, you’ve probably noticed inexpensive mouthguards to wear for various sports. While these mouthguards are inexpensive, they are one-size-fits-all, which means that they may not provide the highest level of protection and comfort for your child. Store-bought mouthguards also tend not to fit well, which means that your child may end up not wearing their mouthguard, defeating the purpose of having bought one! Therefore, the best sports guard or mouthguard for your child is a custom-made one from the dentist. At Glen Park Dental, we take impressions of your child’s mouth so that the sports guard can be made to fit their teeth perfectly and with ultimate comfort. We also have the option of choosing a material best suited for your child’s needs. Some mouthguards are made from acrylic, while others are more of a flexible material. Depending on the level of protection your child needs, we can recommend the right material for their mouthguard.
Mouthguards for kids in Marin, Oakland, and the Bay Area
You can easily protect your child’s smile against sports-related oral injuries by requesting a custom mouthguard from Glen Park Dental. Your child may need a new mouthguard as they grow to accommodate their growing jaw and changing tooth alignment. To learn more or to schedule a consultation, please call Glen Park Dental at (415) 585-1500.
