April is National Facial Protection Month

Pediatric Dental Specialists

The team at Pediatric Dental Specialists wants to remind our athletes to play it safe by wearing a mouth guard during recreational and organized sports.  

A mouth guard is an essential piece of athletic gear that should be part of your standard equipment from an early age. Mouth guards prevent injuries to the bone and tissues around the teeth. They also help prevent injuries to the lower jaw and temporomandibular joint in the jaw.

A properly fitted mouth guard may be especially important for people who wear braces. A blow to the face could damage the brackets or other fixed orthodontic appliances. A mouth guard also provides a barrier between the braces and your cheek or lips, which will help you avoid injuries to your gums and cheeks.

There are three types of mouth guards:

1. Stock mouth guards come ready to wear. They are inexpensive and can be bought at most sporting good stores and drug stores. However, little can be done to adjust their fit.

2. Boil and bite mouth guards can also be bought at many sporting goods stores and may offer a better fit than stock mouth guards. The "boil and bite" mouth guard is made from thermoplastic material. It is placed in hot water to soften, then placed in the mouth and shaped around the teeth using finger and tongue pressure.

3. Custom-fitted mouth guards are individually designed and made in a dental or orthodontic office. Due to the use of the special material and because of the extra time and work involved, a custom-made mouth guard may be more expensive than the other types of mouth guards, but a custom-made mouth guard provides the most comfort and protection.

Mouth guards should be used by anyone playing contact sports such as football, boxing, soccer, ice hockey, basketball, lacrosse, and field hockey. However, even those participating in non-contact sports (gymnastics) and any recreational activity (skateboarding or mountain biking) that might pose a risk of injury to the mouth would benefit from wearing a protective mouth guard.

If you are an athlete and a patient at Pediatric Dental Specialists, talk to our doctors about selecting a mouth guard that will provide the right protection for you.

Also, if you have a retainer or other removable appliance, do not wear it during any contact sports. For more information give us a call our Long Beach Office at (562) 377-1375. Our friendly and knowledgeable team will be happy to answer any questions you may have.