Children's Dental Health Month Tip #1: Have your kids wear mouthguards to protect against dental injuries and concussions

Athletic Mouthguards Protect Children Who Play Sports


Wouldn't it be great if mouthguards were all the rage this year? They'd be seen on all the runways, from skateboarding parks to organized team sports.

The ADA has assembled quite a list of sports for which mouthguards are recommended: acrobatics, bandy, baseball, basketball, bicycling, boxing, equestrian events, field events, field hockey, football, gymnastics, handball, ice hockey, in-line skating, lacrosse, martial arts, racquetball, rugby, shot putting, skateboarding, skiing, skydiving, soccer, softball, squash, surfing, volleyball, water polo, weight lifting and wrestling. In addition, boxing, football, ice hockey, men's lacrosse and women's field hockey actually require mouth protection according to their governing bodies.

There are two major goals in wearing a mouthguard for active play. One is to protect teeth against the impact of an object or body part. The second is to protect against concussions. A crushing blow from an elbow or implement transferred through the mandible and into the skull can cause severe damage, not just broken teeth but a concussion that can have long-lasting consequences.

Responsibility

Children, for the most part, follow the rules set out by sports organizations. They wear the gear set out by the regulations committee. If mouthguards are required and donned by all the other participants, they'll be worn. It's better if the sports committees make the rules than some outside "ruler" like insurance companies.

High school football, for instance, has strict penalties for players who do not wear their protective gear, including properly fitted mouth guards. Penalties such as loss of time-outs or worse are available for officials to use, yet they are hesitant to use those penalties. Officials that do not enforce these rules are sending the wrong message.

The decision to wear a mouthguard is made for children by their parents and the coaches, and enforced by officials in organized play. But what about unorganized play? Taking a second look at the list provided by the ADA we find that synchronized swimming is the only sport not on the list. Interestingly, age is not addressed.

Store-bought mouthguards are easy to chew through and they grow longer with chewing, causing an uncomfortable choking sensation. This acute sensation renders the wearer totally distracted by the gag reflex and ineffective on the playing field. In order to be worn, a mouth guard must be comfortable.

Properly fitted mouthguards are recommended for all activities that require gear. They come in fun colors, with team logos or animal designs. Parents that are active should be encouraged to wear mouth protection during their sporting activities. Parents are role models for their children and their children's friends. Wearing protective gear, from rain coats to mouthguards, is a marvelous, no-time commitment way to show kids that safety is all the rage.

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