Some parents assume that only children who are playing contact sports like football, lacrosse, or hockey need to be fitted for mouth guards. Kids who play any sports can benefit from being fitted for a dental mouth guard in Tulsa OK. Read on to find out why.
Avoid Chipped and Broken Teeth
Sports injuries account for a high percentage of modern children’s acute facial injuries. Without mouth guards, young athletes will be more prone to chipped teeth and even tooth loss. This is the case not just when kids play contact sports but also when they head out on the trails with their mountain bikes, skateboarding, or even practicing gymnastics.
Form Good Habits
When parents have their children fitted for mouth guards at an early age and make sure they wear them whenever it is appropriate, the practice helps to instill good habits that will stay with the children for the rest of their athletic careers. Parents, coaches, and young athletes should not consider mouth guards optional. They should view them as essential pieces of safety equipment.
Meet Regulations
Many youths sports teams require their players to wear mouth guards. Coaches know that, if a young athlete is wearing a dental mouth guard in Tulsa OK, he or she will be much less likely to sustain serious facial injuries.
Reduce the Severity of Concussions
Mouth guards don’t just protect children’s teeth. If young athletes get hit in the head, their mouth guards may also reduce the severity of concussions by redistributing force. While there will always be some risk of injury when children play sports, mouth guards offer an easy, affordable, and comfortable means of mitigating some of that risk.
Types of Mouth Guards
Stock mouth protectors come ready-to-wear, but they aren’t adjustable and are not recommended by dentists. Boil and bite mouth guards offer a slightly better fit, but by far the best solution for parents who want to protect their young athletes’ smiles is to head to the dentist to have them fitted for a custom mouth protector. Dentists create professional impressions and use specialty materials to provide the best comfort, fit, and protection.
Get Started Today
Want to make sure that a child has the best protection? Visit Kid’s Dental online today to learn more about mouth guards, preventative dental care, and other pediatric dental services.
