Protecting Your Child’s Teeth from Sports No pain, no gain, right? Kids are surprisingly tough little creatures. In my very own elementary school,

we had lots of sports related mishaps. Playing soccer, little Chad crashed into the goal post and had to

get stiches on his head. I got smacked in the face with a basketball and nearly broke my nose. Kids fell

off the monkey bars, tripped and scraped their knees playing tag, and twisted ankles playing kickball.

It’s a natural part of life.

Then there was organized sports. Junior Jazz games never ended without at least one injury: a

basketball to the face, a jammed finger, an elbow in the eye, or some floor burns. But did that stop us

from playing? No way. The same went for local soccer leagues, swim and diving classes, volleyball, and

so on. Getting hurt is part of being a kid.

Kids Sports However, kids sports should never be so rough that they are permanently damaged in one way or

another. There are some precautions that should be taken when it comes to potentially serious injuries.

For example, kids that are learning to skate need to wear knee and elbow pads. When biking, all kids

(and adults) should wear helmets. Little soccer players need shin guards, and beginner swimmers

should wear life vests or floaters.

These protective measures avert serious, potentially lasting injuries like broken bones, concussions,

brain damage, and drowning. But there is one more thing that people often forget: mouth guards. Just

because baby teeth eventually

fall out, that doesn’t mean

they aren’t important.

Baby teeth help guide adult

teeth into proper positions.

They also contribute to the

health of gums. Older kids will

also have adult teeth that

especially need to be

protected. In sports like

football, basketball, and even

soccer can lead to serious

teeth damage. It could be a

high-flying ball, a kick in the

mouth, a collision with another player, or falling face-first on the ground. Ouch.

Protecting Your Kids In order to protect your kid’s mouth from the accidents rife in sports, mouth guards can go a long way.

Child mouth guards can be molded to fit the specific contours of your child’s mouth. These mouth

guards are made of soft plastic and will protect a child’s teeth, lips, cheeks, and gums. Pediatric dentists

in Sandy, UT can make this custom fitted mouth guards that will be a great protection to your child’s

teeth, face, and even head in general.

With a mouth guard, your child will be protected from direct contact with a ball, elbow, the ground, or

whatever may hit them. Additionally, if a child trips or crashes into another child or object, the backlash

could cause your child’s mouth to snap shut suddenly – damaging teeth, cutting lips, their tongue, or

cheeks. Mouth guards made by your dentist in Sandy can protect your child from any of these injuries.

So don’t deprive your kids the joy and experience of sporting activities because of the possibility of

injury. There are plenty of protective measures you can take that ensure their safety and allow them to

be a kid!