Here’s Why Custom Mouthguards Are So Important

With the school year in full swing, chances are that your kids are ready to start playing sports. From football to basketball and even cheerleading, every sport carries an inherent risk to your child’s mouth.

These inexpensive, custom made oral devices play an important part in reducing the chance of oral trauma to your child. And sports are of the most common causes we see here in the office. Whether a kid is tackled too hard during practice or falls and trips and chips their tooth during cheer-leading practice, these injuries could mess with the alignment of your child’s mouth, their bite, and even how they speak.

What Is A Mouthguard?

The mouth-guard is a surprisingly simple device. Made of durable plastic, it fits over your child’s teeth to help reduce injury to the teeth, gums, arches, and lips.

How Is A Mouthguard Made?

Because mouthguards are custom made to fit your child’s mouth, it’s important that you schedule an appointment with Dr. Bullard. During the appointment the doctor will take impressions and make a sure your child’s mouth is in good shape. Impressions are crucial to getting a perfect mouthguard because everyone’s mouth is shaped differently.

After the impressions are taken, they will be sent to a lab that will then manufacture the mouth guard. The impressions and mouthguard are finally sent back to our office, where we have your child try it on, make sure it fits, and make any necessary adjustments.

How Do I Care For A Mouthguard?

Your mouthguard will get the most use if it is well taken care of. The first step to caring for your mouthguard is to wash it once a day with toothpaste and rinse it with cold water after each use. By doing this you’re preventing bacteria build up, which could cause decay and bad breath.

When your mouthguard isn’t in use, it’s important to dry it with a clean towel and store it in the case that you’ll get at your appointment.

Is My Child A Candidate For A Mouthguard?

Nearly every child could benefit from a mouthguard. Because sports related injuries are quite common, we recommend all children who enjoy sports – even those who do not play on an official team – have a mouthguard. By preventing injuries you’re saving yourself money for more intense treatments required to treat injuries and also saving your child from a lot of pain.

If you believe your child could use a mouthguard, contact us. Dr. Bullard has extensive experience in fitting patients with mouthguards and is committed to the health and well being of her patients through preventative dental care.