Did you know that some of the most common sports-related injuries — across all contact sports — affect teeth? Think of things like teeth that are knocked out completely, or fractured. Or fractured tooth roots, or teeth that are driven upwards into the jaw. You can protect your child from many tooth-related injuries with one small piece of equipment that should be mandatory in every contact sport and league — a mouthguard.
The United States’ National Youth Sports Safety Foundation has found that athletes that do not wear a mouthguard are up to 60 times more likely to suffer injuries. Sixty times! Why take the chance with your child’s teeth. Get her a mouthguard from a dentist in Yellowknife. It’s true that you can get mouthguards elsewhere — even online and at sporting goods stores with DIY options. In the interest of protecting your child’s mouth, though, you shouldn’t. Here’s why and what dentists in Yellowknife strongly recommend.
What options are there for mouthguards in Yellowknife?
Stock mouthguards
Stock mouthguards are one-size-fits-all units that come in different sizes but really don’t fit anyone. Does that make any sense? They are not custom fit to any athlete’s mouth. Because a L stock mouthguard is designed to fit everyone with a L mouth, they in reality fit and protect practically no one with a L mouth. Stock mouthguards are inexpensive, but provide the protection you pay for… which is to say, barely any protection at all.
Stock mouthguards designed to fit the common denominator within a size range will provide minimal protection for the simple reason that they won’t fit. They can even make matters worse because athletes may bite down hard to hold an ill-fitting mouthguard in place. That restricts your child’s ability to talk and breathe, and locks their jaw into an unnatural and stressful posture. That may increase, rather than decrease, the risk of oral injury.
“Boil-and-bite” mouthguards
You can purchase boil-and-bite mouthguards at Yellowknife sporting goods stores. They’re usually made of inexpensive rubber that you soften by boiling in water, then have your child bite into to form a shell molded to their teeth.
Boil-and-bite mouthguards offer more protection than a stock mouthguard, but have two significant downsides. By reputation, they’re uncomfortable. Worse still, they are prone to tearing easily because of the material of which they’re constructed. When it comes to protecting your child’s teeth from serious injury, those two strikes should be enough to recommend you choose the third option — a mouthguard from a dentist in Yellowknife.
Customized sports mouthguards
A dentist in Yellowknife can create a custom Pressure Laminated Mouthguard that will be comfortable and provide all the necessary protection for your child’s teeth while ensuring your child can breathe properly and even communicate with their coaches and teammates. Your dentist can craft a mouthguard that will even protect your child if they wear braces.
Modern customized are built from sturdy thermoplastic material wrapped around a dental moulding, which is then polished and tailored to fit perfectly. Your child’s teeth and jaw didn’t come off the shelf in a standard shape and size. Neither should their essential protective equipment.
If your child is participating in contact sports, you can protect them from serious and potentially dangerous dental injury by equipping them with a customized sports mouthguard from a dentist in Yellowknife. A customized mouthguard will offer stronger, more comfortable, and safer protection than either a stock mouthguard or a boil-and-bite mouthguard. Before your child’s next season begins, get in touch with a dentist in Yellowknife to get your child set up with an essential sports mouthguard.