Did you know that there are mouthguards that can go over braces? This is important if you have any children playing sports with an orthodontics treatment in their mouths. With so many kids participating in sports today, the chance of receiving an injury has gone up.

10 to 20% of those sports injuries occur in the mouth or face. If your child has braces or needs to wear a mouth retainer at night, then a mouthguard is especially important for protecting their teeth.

Your child’s dentist or pediatric orthodontist can provide your child with a special mouthguard that can fit over their braces, do not be afraid to ask them about getting one.

These are the 7 youth sports that require mouthguards, however, you should consider having one for any sport.

If your child participates in any of these activities, be sure that you get them one before their first meeting.

1. Baseball and Softball

These sports are noncontact, however, there is still a risk of receiving a mouth injury while playing. There is the chance of getting struck by a ball or accidentally hit when trying to make it on the plate.

While your child is not making contact with other players often, a stray ball hitting their mouth could cause severe damage to their braces and teeth. Be sure that they wear a mouthguard during games and practices.

2. Martial Arts, Wrestling, and Kickboxing

Due to the high contact nature of these sports, you will want to be sure that your child is always wearing one of their mouthguards while they participate. There is always the chance of accidentally being hit in the face- which may harm your teeth or treatment.

3. Football

Whether your child is playing tackle or tag football, they should be wearing a guard over their braces. This sport requires a lot of running, meaning there is a chance of being injured by tripping as well.

With any sport that includes a ball, you will want to incorporate mouthguards into your child’s equipment. Even though they can not wear them with a retainer in their mouth, they can still go over bare teeth or teeth with braces.

4. Rollerblading, Skateboarding, Bicycling

Any activity that requires you to travel over concrete at a high speed should have you wearing a mouthguard. Not only is there the potential of crashing into something and harming the treatment, but you might also be struck in the mouth by your equipment.

5. Field Hockey and Ice Hockey

There is the chance of accidentally being struck in the mouth by a stay stick swing or by accidentally getting hit by the puck. This could harm your child’s gum or teeth- especially if they are going through orthodontic treatment.

Since this can be a high contact sport, you never want to forget one of your mouthguards for games as well as practice meetups.

6. Basketball

Since blocking is a main part of playing basketball, there is the off chance that someone gets elbowed in the mouth. While this is not as damaging to anyone without braces, those wearing them may hurt the inside of their mouth or teeth. Be sure to wear a guard.

7. Gymnastics

Gymnasts interact with a lot of different equipment, meaning that there is a small chance that they fall on it funny or get hit with an object in the mouth. The American Dental Association recommends that any gymnast wears a guard.

Why Mouthguards Are Important for Youth Sports

Every year over 3 million teeth are knocked out in youth sports! The American Dental Association stated that 200,000 mouth injuries are prevented by wearing a mouthguard- so you want to be sure that your child is wearing one during any sport.

They protect the tongue and lips as well, reducing how serious an injury can be. Plus, they prevent brackets from being damaged- keeping your child’s gums safe as well. Your pediatric orthodontist can design a mouthguard for your child so that you can be sure it fits properly even with a set of braces on.

Types of Mouthguard to Wear

There are 3 different types of mouthguards that you might come across. Each has its own benefits and uses. They are:

• Pre-formed protectors are at any sports store and can be worn right out of the packaging. They are cost-efficient but only come in one size which might not fit well.
• Boil and bite protectors are found in sports stores as well. You boil them and have your child bite them to fit them to their teeth.
• Custom protectors are designed by your child’s dentist. They offer the most protection and are sure to fit well over your child’s braces. These are the best ones to invest in, but the others work if you need to find a set quickly.

You want the guard to be comfortable in your child’s mouth, but not too loose. You want to be sure they are made from durable materials so they can survive any impact. You will want to clean them after every use to keep bacteria from forming.

Finally, you want to be sure that your child can breathe normally and has no trouble talking while they have the mouthguard in.

If you have braces in NJ, then be sure to contact us if you plan on participating in any sports. We can help you find the perfect mouth protector to keep your orthodontics treatment, and your teeth, safe and healthy!

Conclusion

Those were 7 youth sports that you want your child to have a mouthguard for. Investing in a quality guard will ensure that your child’s orthodontic treatment stays safe- no broken brackets or snapped wiring.

If you need to wear a mouth retainer at night, you will want to be sure you wear a protector during sports too. You would not want to undo the perfect smile that you spent so much time and energy waiting for!

Contact us today if you have any questions or want to set up an appointment.