Did you know that sources have estimated that sports-related incidents account for between 3 million and 5 million knocked-out teeth every year in the United States alone? It’s also been reported that athletes may be up to 60 times more likely to suffer a dental emergency.
Thankfully, wearing a mouthguard can help shield your child’s smile if they participate in team sports or other high-contact activities. Continue reading to learn about 3 reasons to contact their pediatric dentist sooner rather than later to get them fitted with a customized device to help prevent injuries and other urgent issues!
Reason #1: Avoid Chips & Cracks
Many people think of dental chips and cracks as minor or insignificant, but the truth is that the damage might extend deeper than you can see with the naked eye. For instance, an injury to your child’s tooth might reach deep into the roots, which can lead to an infection that requires more complex and costly treatments, such as a root canal followed by a dental crown.
Fortunately, your pediatric dentist can provide a mouthguard or sportsguard made using accurate digital X-rays of your child’s mouth to better protect their enamel.
Reason #2: Protect Soft Tissues
The tender tissues of the mouth are quite sensitive, and it doesn’t take much to cut them. For instance, if your child sustains a blow to the face during their next football game or martial arts match, the force could press the insides of their lips, cheeks, or gums against their teeth and cause lacerations that tend to bleed, which can be intimidating.
Although many pediatric dentists offer sedatives and other emergency services to treat minor wounds, wearing a mouthguard can be a simple but effective way to help prevent injuries to connective tissues and avoid needing an urgent appointment.
Reason #3: Prevent Permanent Tooth Loss
Although baby teeth are intended to fall out eventually, if they’re knocked out prematurely, it can damage the jawbone or affect how the permanent teeth develop. Not only that, but teens who lose one or more adult teeth might have to wait a few years for their jaw to finish growing before they can pursue reliable replacements, such as dental implants.
Meanwhile, wearing a mouthguard helps distribute the force of a blow evenly across the arches to avoid damaging or dislodging individual teeth.
Investing in a well-made appliance for your child can help prevent serious damage to help them maintain a happy, healthy smile into adulthood!
About the Practice
Patients at Healthy Kids Pediatric Dentistry benefit from a team of experts who are passionate about helping children build strong, healthy teeth and gums. Our board-certified providers share decades of combined experience, and today, they collaborate to offer a full menu of services, including providing customized athletic mouthguards, to meet the unique needs of still-developing smiles. If you want to help protect your little one’s grin, you can contact the office on the website or call (301) 871-8880.