Kids and their playful nature are exposed to many risks especially dental injuries.
According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, about 10-39% of all childhood dental injuries are as a result of sporting activities. While stopping our kids from playing is next to impossible, taking precautions such as giving them the right protective gear goes a long way in ensuring their safety. To protect them against dental injuries, mouth guards serve as the best gear to caution them against broken teeth and injuries to the jaw, lips or tongue.
What are mouth guards?
Mouth guards also referred to as sports guards or athletic mouth protectors, are rubber-like covers designed to fit snugly over the teeth, provide support to the edentulous space, and help protect teeth from dental injuries including:
- Crown fractures
- Lips and intraoral tissues from laceration and bruising
- Root fractures
- The jaw from fracture and dislocations
- Avulsions and luxation
Mouth guards operate as shock absorbers as they absorb and diffuse impact energy hence cautioning the mentioned parts. They greatly help preserve both the aesthetic appearance and health of a smile.
How can mouth guards help protect your child from dental injury?
Prevention is always better than cure. The majority of sporting organizations now require that participants wear mouth guards in sporting activities. Mouth guards help minimize the risk of traumatic brain injury, which is especially important in young kids. This is because although mouth guards are primarily designed to protect teeth, they also immensely reduce the amount of force transmitted from the impact point to the central nervous system.
Mouth guards also help reduce the risk of the following injuries;
- Concussions
- Cheek lesions
- Gum and soft tissue injuries
- Neck injuries
- Lip lesions, and
- Tongue lesions
There are various types of mouth guards available. Contact us today at to find out more on preventing dental injuries with a mouth guard and get professional advice on which type is best for your kid.