When the whistle blows on the field, the last thing you want to be thinking about is your child’s braces. In contact sports, injuries are prevalent and considered “a part of the game.” Even if it’s accepted as inevitable, that doesn’t mean you have to take it lying down. You can take steps to protect their braces with a mouthguard.
If you’re serious about using a mouthguard to protect your child’s oral health during their games, continue reading and follow these four mouthguard tips.
1. Choosing the Right Mouthguard
There are many different types of mouthguards. The pre-molded ones are easy to find, but they often don’t fit correctly and therefore do not offer adequate protection. The best mouthguard to pick up is a “boil and bite” variation.
With this type of mouthguard, you’ll boil it in water for a few seconds, then pull it out and have your child bite down and suck out any air to make a mold to their teeth. This offers much better protection.
2. Encouraging Your Child to Use the Mouthguard
It can be difficult to get your child to wear the mouthguard at first. They can feel strange if your child isn’t used to wearing it and can sometimes trigger a gag reflex if it isn’t fitted properly.
Offer incentives for them to use it until it becomes a routine. One idea is to promise a more customized guard with their team logo and colors on it. There are even some companies that offer flavored mouthguards for just such an occasion.
3. Mouthguard Maintenance
Caring for your child’s mouthguard is pretty straightforward. Every time it’s worn, it needs to be rinsed out with mild soap and water. This will prevent the buildup of bacteria that could start to make your young sports star sick if they continue to use it.
4. Share the Consequences
Knowledge is power, but for children, it can also encourage compliance with safety routines. Share some of the consequences of not wearing their mouthguard with them:
Knocked Out Tooth – If they don’t wear their mouthguard, a ball or other player could collide with them, knocking out a tooth! Not only will this cause pain and leave them without a tooth, but it is common knowledge that tooth fairies don’t accept teeth that were knocked out by not wearing mouthguards.
Pushed In Tooth – If a tooth isn’t knocked out by a collision, it might be pushed into the gum instead. This causes a lot of pain and must be addressed quickly. Baby teeth that are pushed in can affect adult teeth later on.
Broken Braces – While braces are rather sturdy appliances, they can be broken by firm contact. This will require examination by your orthodontist and holds the possibility of hampering your child’s tooth-straightening progress.
So, you see, mouthguards are an essential part of your child’s uniform. It is possibly the most important piece of safety equipment they have, especially if they wear braces. If you need a recommendation for what kind of mouthguard to use or where to get them, contact your orthodontist.
About the Practice
At SimpliBraces, they aim to be more than “another” orthodontics office, they want to be a provider that you trust. Their team of professionals works together to produce results that you’ll love with care and patience. If you need braces or other orthodontic treatment, go on in. They will be excited to meet you. To schedule an orthodontic consultation, call (929) 229-1009 or visit the website to learn more.