How Do Mouthguards Protect Teeth?
Posted on August 6th, 2021 | Christopher Neal
Getting enough exercise and outdoor activity is vital to ensuring children stay healthy and happy. When taking part in sports and games, people take the risk of being injured. There is no good reason to avoid this risk in favor of sacrificing a child’s overall health. However, there are ways to decrease the chances of being injured when kids take part in their favorite activities.
Protecting teeth and gums is vital to our oral health. However, so is regular exercise, which has been shown to lessen the risk of developing gum disease by over half. Therefore, risk of physical injury to the mouth associated with exercise, sports, and other activities does not negate the health benefits of physical activity.
Trauma to the oral cavity, such as a baseball hitting the face, or being kicked in the jaw, can easily damage teeth, knock them out, or harm the jaw bone. The lips, gums, tongue, and cheeks are also vulnerable to injury. If such injuries are not treated, they can lead to infection, a variety of dental problems, permanent tooth loss, and more. Teeth may shift, bite problems can occur, TMJ may result, and kids can have difficulty eating or talking.
Mouthguards are a proven and simple way to protect against dental emergencies. Mouthguards are small devices, usually custom fit by a children’s dentist in Chicago, that are worn during sports activities. These devices provide a physical barrier between teeth and any imposing force, such as a ball or another child’s knee/elbow/etc.
Your Pediatric Dentist in Chicago
Frequent check-ups, thorough examinations, and comprehensive dental care is vital to your child’s dental health. At Chicago kiDDS Pediatric Dentistry, you will find one of the best pediatric dentists in Chicago who offers not only mouthguards, but the kind of quality dental care every child needs and deserves.
