Studies show that approximately 30% of children will experience a dental injury and that many of those are sports related. These injuries include: chipped teeth, broken teeth, teeth knocked out of place, and teeth knocked out completely. Treatment ranges from simple repair bonding to more complicated root canal and crown treatment. Unfortunately we also see situations where there is no option other than complete loss of the tooth. Soft tissue, such as gums, lips, and tongue, can also be abraded or lacerated.Although contact with people and objects cannot be eliminated from sports, most oral injuries can be prevented by wearing a protective mouth guard. You have several options for yourself or your child when choosing a mouth guard. There are stock preformed mouth guards that can be purchased from a store. They are very inexpensive; however, they also offer the least amount of protection, they are typically bulky and uncomfortable to wear. I would not recommend these. Then there are "boil & bite" mouth guards. These can also be purchased at an athletic store. The user is then able to shaped the guard themselves at home after heating the guard in water. This gives a little bit more of a custom fit, better protection, and more comfort in wearing. Finally, there are true custom made mouth guards. These are made by your dentist from molds of your teeth. They are the least bulky (therefore the most comfortable), stay in place the best, and offer the greatest amount of protection. However, they are typically the most expensive of your options.
Which mouth guard is best? Well, the one that you or your child will actually wear! Many times you see kids with their mouth guards hanging out of their mouths. This is because they are uncomfortable to the child and they take every opportunity to not wear it. Comfort is a big deal to compliance. You want them to have something that they do not mind keeping in or even notice. Comfort in a mouth protector is generally one that is not bulky, does not pinch soft tissue, does not affect breathing, and has little affect on speech. Ideally, you want it to become second nature. A football player wouldn't feel right running on the field without their helmet. This is how we would love for athletes to feel about their mouth guards as well.
For a child, the "cool factor" is also essential to compliance. Common sense, but if they are self conscious about wearing one, then they will be less likely to wear it.
Clear mouth guards can be made that are hardly noticeable and on the other end of the spectrum, you can also have one made with vibrant "intimidating to the opponents" colors or even school colors. Many professional athletes wear custom mouth guards. Point this out to your child and show them pictures. When they see that their favorite athlete wears mouth protection, they will be more motivated to wear their own. Also, many athletes believe that mouth guards can actually enhance athletic performance. Do I believe this is true? I believe it doesn't matter if it's true or not...if someone believes it is helping them, then maybe it will help them! Athletes are notorious for good luck charms and superstitions; it all comes down to mind over matter and if an athlete believes they will compete better, then typically they will. So...if an athlete believes a mouth guard helps them compete...GREAT! At least they are motivated to wear one!
Mouth guards can be an expense up front, but it sure beats the cost of treatment resulting from an oral injury. Research or talk to your dentist about which option may be the best for you or your child's needs.
Side note:
Many people ask if they can use an athletic mouth guard to protect their teeth at night from grinding/clenching. Do not do this! Using an athletic mouth guard for this purpose can many times actually worsen your condition and lead to increased muscle & joint pain. If you are a grinder/clencher your dentist can fabricate a mouth piece that is specific for treating this condition.
