April is facial protection month, which is always a good reminder that kids (and adults) who are involved in organized or recreational sports should wear mouth guards to protect their teeth. According to the American Dental Association, about a third of all dental injuries are sports related. And that number goes up when you include amateur daredevils, of any age, on bikes, skates, scooters and skateboards.
When in doubt, where a mouthguard. Mouthguards, sometimes also referred to as mouth protectors, help cushion possible blows to your face that can lead to broken, or chipped, teeth, including injuries to your tongue, jaw and gums.
Children between the ages of 7 to 11 are the most likely to suffer from sports-related mouth injuries and athletes are 60 percent more likely to suffer tooth related injuries when they don’t wear a mouthguard. Besides organized contact sports, which offer a higher risk of dental injuries, even non-contact sports, like gymnastics, can too, as can recreational activities like skating and biking. When in doubt, wear a mouthguard!
While it might seem like an additional hassle to have to wear a mouthguard, the custom sports mouth guards we offer, such as Playsafe, actually fit comfortably and they also come in some great colors, which can improve the cool factor a bit. But still, at the end of the day, wearing a mouthguard is still way more cool than losing a tooth
And when it comes to getting your mouthguard, not all are created equal. That’s for sure. In fact, the best ones are those that are custom made to your mouth by your dentist. Store bought boil and bite mouthguards generally don’t fit as well or offer the sufficient thickness. For a growing child or adolescent, a custom made mouthguard can also provide space for growing teeth and jaws.
The Playsafe mouthguards we offer cost $55 – a pretty cheap investment for saving teeth and being custom made! And these mouth guards vary by sports type and by your child’s age. And, again, they come in a variety of colors to help motivate even the most color conscious player to keep them in when they’re playing sports or attempting their next stunt.
So, why risk any tooth injuries when you or your kids are out playing? Protect your kids’ teeth throughout the year, and your own, with a Playsafe sports mouthguard. It’s easy. And it’s a small cost compared to the long-term cost of replacing a missing tooth, or mending a damaged one. Just call our office at (206) 524-1000 to schedule an appointment or request an appointment here!