How to Protect Your Braces When Engaged in Athletics
Everyone involved in sports knows that you need to keep your mouth safe while you are playing sports, because direct hits from balls, other players, the ground, and other hard hitting accidents can cause a lot of problems for your mouth, even if they don’t knock out a tooth! While mouthguards are required in almost every sport due to the risk of injury from getting hit during the game, what about braces?
Braces add an extra layer of vulnerability to your teeth, because not only are they on your teeth and vulnerable to an impact, but they are also vulnerable because your teeth are already being moved to a new place in your mouth. Getting hit by an impact while wearing braces might undue everything that the braces had already done for you so far.
So if you are a sports person who also needs braces, don’t be worried. You will still be able to get on the field, track, or court you just need to take on some extra precautions first. There are plenty of pro athletes who haven’t let getting their teeth worked on prevent them from missing a single game, and you can join their ranks!
What Are Some Common Sports Injuries In People Who Wear Braces?
Some of the injuries that people who wear braces can suffer are the exact same as the injuries that non braces wearing players can get. Including lacerations to the face, lips, and tongue, chipped or broken teeth, dislocated or broken bones in the face, and root fractures. But with braces the braces themselves can become a cause of injury.
Braces can break, leading to broken and bent wires and broken brackets, which can further cut the mouth and teeth. The best thing that you can do to protect yourself from injury while playing the game is to invest in a mouthguard. While a basic mouthguard will offer some protection, you should invest in an orthodontic mouthguard for braces because it will offer the most protection for both your braces and your mouth!
What Is An Orthodontic Mouthguard For Braces?
Orthodontic mouthguards are like traditional mouthguards, but they are designed to be used with braces of all kinds: kids braces, adolescent braces, teen braces, and more. They are often made from silicone and are designed to cushion your lips, keeping your lips from getting caught in your braces and protecting them from impact related damage.
But the main benefit of orthodontic mouthguards above traditional mouthguards is that they are designed to move with your teeth as they shift. If you need an orthodontic mouthguard, then you are likely going through some type of orthodontic treatment as well, and your teeth are going to continue moving as the braces do their work on them. Orthodontic mouthguards are designed to shift and change as your bite does, in a way that your regular mouthguard doesn’t. Regular mouthguards are designed to heat up as they are in your mouth, and then mold to your teeth.
This isn’t great if you are playing sports, because they aren’t able to evolve with your teeth as they shift and if you do suffer an impact you will get your teeth jolted at best and have your implants knocked off at worst. Additionally, they can start to work against your braces if you are trying to fit a mouthguard from your earlier mold into your new mouth.
How Else Can You Protect Your Mouth While Playing Sports?
While you can do pretty well with the mouthguard over braces option if you have braces for kids, those who really love sports are going to ask for more protection! One of the best things you can do is to have a plan for a dental injury to your face, and make sure those around you know to carry it out.
For example, teeth can be returned to the mouth if they are brought to a nearby dentist in time. You just need to collect the tooth (or the pieces of the tooth if the tooth shattered) and hold it up by the crown. Wash the tooth in water and then keep it moist until you can get to a dentist.
If your braces are broken or the wires are bent, be careful because the now broken wires can actually pierce your mouth and cause cuts. In either case, you need to contact your dentist immediately to get the proper orthodontic care.
Keeping Your Oral Health Up When Using Mouthguards
Keeping on top of your oral health while dealing with braces or clear aligners can be hard enough, but now you need to keep a special eye on your mouthguard. Make sure to keep it clean because bacteria can build up on the mouthguard which can lead to bad breath and infections. Make sure to listen to your orthodontist whenever they talk about how to best clean your mouthguard, and properly clean it after every use.
You should also allow your mouthguard to dry after every single use and keep it in the container provided, and brush and clean your teeth before your put the mouthguard in. Additionally, you can also take your mouthguard to your dentist and have them perform a deep clean of the mouthguard for you as well.
Braces Don’t Mean You Need To Give Up The Game!
While you might wonder if your sports season is over because braces are now in your mouth, you never let them stop you before! You just need to project your mouth a little differently, and with an orthodontic mouthguard specifically designed for your braces, you can do so! Then just keep yourself safe on the field and play your heart out, and nothing needs to change.
So talk to your orthodontist about your sports life and get some help fitting the perfect mouthguard for your needs. Then get back out on your chosen sports field and get back into the game!
Looking for braces or Invisalign? Looking for an board certified Orthodontist in Central NJ that treats kids, teens and adults? Bordentown Braces serves all surrounding areas of Bordentown, NJ including:
