Sports offer kids unlimited advantages—building confidence, learning to work together, and getting in shape. Sports do pose some risk, however, to your child’s mouth and teeth. Dental trauma is one of the most common of all sports injuries, but the good news is that nearly all can be entirely prevented by protection.
Understanding the Risks of Sports-Related Dental Injury
Contact sports pose the greatest risk of dental trauma, but even with non-contact sports, trauma can occur. The most frequent sports responsible for dental trauma in sports are football, basketball, hockey, and soccer. Baseball, gymnastics, and skating are also high-risk sports.
Dental trauma ranges from a very mild chipping to the worst, tooth loss. Teen athletes are more vulnerable because face bones and teeth are developing. The most common injuries are tooth chipping or fracture, avulsed teeth, and soft tissue injury to lips, tongue, and cheeks.
The financial cost of dental trauma can be high. Replacing a single tooth may cost thousands, and especially complicated cases may take years to recover from. More importantly, they can affect the self-esteem and quality of life of your child.
Selecting and Caring for the Correct Mouth Guard
The best protection your child has against dental injury is a properly fitting mouth guard. Studies have demonstrated that mouth guards reduce dental injury as much as 60 times. Not all mouth guards provide the same level of protection.
Custom-fitted mouth guards made by a dentist are the most protective and comfortable. They are made individually from a model of your child’s mouth and teeth and stay in place to protect without causing interference in breathing or speech during sports play.
Boil-and-bite mouth guards sold in sporting chains represent a cost-protection compromise. They can provide an acceptable protection for leisure sports if heated and fitted adequately.
Mouth guard maintenance is required both for performance and hygiene. Soak your mouth guard in cold water after use and brush it with soap and a toothbrush carefully. Store it in a well-ventilated container to discourage bacteria growth. Mouth guards do have to be replaced from time to time, especially during your child’s growth and tooth development.
Other Protective Gear for Overall Protection
Although mouth guards are mandatory, further protection can be aided by other gear. Helmets and face guards are mandatory for some sports and can also provide protection against facial and dental damage. Have your child’s helmet properly fitted and ensure that it meets today’s safety standards.
Face guards and cages provide a second line of defence against direct impact to the face and teeth. They are particularly important for the sports of hockey and lacrosse, where projectiles are moving at all times.
Certain sports require specific protective gear. A headgear for wrestlers, for instance, protects ears from harm as well as preventing the possibility of face contact. Water polo players can be protected from elbows as well as from rough play by protective caps.
Creating an Overall Dental Safety Plan
It takes more than gear to keep your child’s teeth safe in sport—it’s an entire commitment to safety. Start by talking to coaches about form, as most accidents involving teeth occur due to improper form or lack of sportsmanship.
Establish clear rules regarding roughhousing and inform your child why it is important that they follow the rules of the game that are designed to make the players safer. Good sportsmanship not only builds character, but helps prevent injury that is caused by improper play.
Keep emergency phone numbers available, just in case you need to visit a Strathfield dental practice. Early treatment of a dental injury can be the difference between losing a tooth and saving one.
Routine dental check-ups are even more important for young players. Your dentist can point out any areas of concern and get your child’s mouth healthy enough for them to play sports.
Investing in Your Child’s Lifetime Smile
Protecting your child’s teeth while playing sports is an investment in your child’s health and self-esteem in the future. While good protective gear is pricey to purchase, it is less expensive than the cost and pain of sports-related dental damage.
