How You Can Keep The Teeth Of Your Child Protected During Sports
The joy of a parent is to see his or her child in good health. That is why you remind your child to brush his or her teeth after every meal. When it comes to teeth, though, brushing regularly is not all that is required to keep the teeth safe; chipping and cracking are also a concern. And these are the kind of damages that occur when a child is playing soccer or baseball. So what can you do to protect your child's teeth during a sport activity? One option is to invest in mouth guards.
What Are Mouth Guards?
You have probably heard of mouth guards or even seen them. They are commonly used by athletes of different sports like boxing and hockey to guard the mouth. They are just coverings that are worn over the teeth for protecting the teeth from grinding or injury during sports. They protect the teeth by absorbing the force of impact before the force gets to the teeth; if an object strikes the face or teeth, the mouth guard spreads the force created by the impact without causing major harm.
Besides the teeth, a mouth guard also protects the jaws from fracturing when an object strikes the face of your child or when the child falls to the ground face first.
Are There Different Kinds Of Mouth Guards?
There are three different types of mouth guards you can choose from for your child. The first type is a ready-to-wear type of mouth guard. You can buy these mouth guards at sport stores. As the name suggests, these mouth guards are ready made and come in different sizes. If you are looking for a fitting guard, these may not be the best choice since they cannot be adjusted to properly fit the teeth.
The second type is the custom mouth guards. These are usually made at the dentist's office where a mold of your child's teeth is taken and used to come up with a fitting guard.
The third type is the boil mouth guard. As the name implies, it is a guard that you will have to boil so that it can create a perfect fit. After buying the right size, boil it for a few minutes until it becomes soft. Then instruct your child to bite the guard; the guard will create a mold that resembles the shape and structure of your child's teeth. Slowly, the guard will harden and fit over the teeth.
Mouth guards reduce the chances of taking your child to a cosmetic dentist for dental repairs. In terms of statistics, they reduce the chances of your child succumbing to dental injuries by up to sixty times.
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