With summer just about here, your children are likely to be active in sports and other fun activities such as summer camps. It’s easy to get caught up in the bustle, but be sure not to neglect the importance of protecting your child’s teeth by properly using a mouth guard.
There’s no doubt that children are highly susceptible to tooth loss or other kind of oral injuries during sports and play. Even when they sleep at night, some present signs of abrasion and wear caused by the constant grinding of their teeth together. To ensure that your child’s teeth are protected from damage in any of these situations, many dentists suggest that you get your children mouth guards for sports or night guards for sleep.
You Can Find These Mouth Guards in Three Varieties
- Ordinary mouth protectors are prefabricated and ready to wear. They are low-priced and can be acquired at most stores that have sporting goods, specialty health stores, and online. However, they can be a challenge to adjust to fit, they are often bulky due to generic fit, make speaking and breathing difficult, and they bring little or no safety. These types of mouth guards are not typically recommended by dentists, but they can work in a pinch.
- Boil and bite mouth guards may also be acquired from sporting goods stores, and can offer a superior fit as compared to ordinary mouth guards. The “boil and bite” mouth protectors are made from a thermoplastic material that is placed in boiled water to soften, then introduced in the mouth and molded around the teeth using tongue and finger pressure.
- Personalized mouth protectors are individually created and produced in a dental office or a specialized laboratory following your dentist’s instructions. First, your dental practitioner will make an imprint of your child’s teeth and a mouth protector is then shaped over the mold using a special material. By using the special material and due to the supplemental time and work, these personalized mouth guards are more expensive than your other options, but it grants the most protection and comfort.
Who Needs a Mouth Guard?
Mouth protectors may be used by anyone – children and adults – who play sports that involve physical contact such as boxing, basketball, soccer, football, ice hockey, field hockey or lacrosse. However, even those playing sports without contact(such as gymnastics) and any recreational exercise (e.g.mountain biking, skateboarding) that may present a risk of harm to the mouth can benefit from using a mouth protector.
Adults and children who grind or clench their teeth at night should wear a night guard made to avoid tooth injury.
While mouth guards for play and sleep are useful in preserving tooth integrity for all ages, choosing a suitable one for your child finally concentrates on balancing cost with comfort.
The ideal mouth guard must:
- Allow talking and not restrict breathing.
- Stay firmly in place amid action.
- Provide a high rate of fit and comfort.
- Be long lasting and easy to clean.
- Be resilient, tear-resistant, odor-free and flavorless.
Mouth guards will take care of your children’s teeth while they enjoy their favorite sports, so you won’t have to worry any more about injuries.
