For us, we’re certainly mad about March. All that basketball, the temperatures warming up, sports coming to life… All combined, here at Westerville Pediatric Dental we can only think about mouth guards. Custom fitted mouth guards for your precious kids as the start to pound the pavement, the court, the field… They’re out for first place, but they run the risk of damaging their teeth and jaws in almost any collision.
Currently, the U.S. National Collegiate Athletic Association requires the use of mouth guards only for ice hockey, lacrosse, field hockey, and football. However, the American Dental Association recommends the use of a mouth guard for 29 sports/exercise activities! We could list them, but if you can imagine a physical activity your children can participate in, it’s likely on the list. Remember all those Olympic athletes across disciplines wearing mouth guards? Essentially, whenever there’s a chance of contact with other players or hard surfaces, wearing a mouth guard makes really good sense.
There are several types of mouth guards out there. There are off-the-shelf guards, boil and fit, and plenty of people just not wearing them. This is why a properly-fitting mouth guard makes the most sense. We suggest you visit our office so that we can take measurements and make an impression of your child’s mouth. This way, your mouth guard can be created in the lab to the exact specifications of your child’s teeth.
At Westerville Pediatric Dental, we are confident that when your child wears one of our guards, his or her teeth will be protected from the majority of dental injuries that occur when playing sports. Call our office today to see what the options are!
