How many teeth are lost every year due to sports injuries? Dentists estimate over five million! A recent issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association reported that 13 to 39 percent of all dental injuries are sports-related. Yet even with all of these statistics, kids and teens continue to improperly protect their teeth when they go out to play. This spring, don’t let your kids put their teeth in danger! Pedodontics Associates Inc. sees many patients who have been injured due to recklessness while playing sports. That’s why they suggest being proactive of your child’s dental care by investing in a mouthguard.

According to the Academy of General Dentistry, mouthguards prevent about 200,000 mouth injuries per year. This number represents collegiate and high school football alone. Although your child may consider wearing a mouthguard a nuisance, they will join the millions of professional football, soccer, and baseball athletes who wear mouthguards during every game.

These are the three types of mouthguards on the market today:

• Stock: The stock mouthguard is the cheapest and easiest option. They are ready to use right out of the package. However, they are not made of the most protective material, and do not adhere to the teeth. This requires your child to bite down continuously on the mouthguard. Not only will this wear down the mouthguard, but it could ruin your child’s teeth as well!
• Boil and Bite: This is the most commonly used mouthguard on the market. This mouthguard is made of thermoplastic material, which must be boiled before use. Though this mouthguard adheres better to the teeth, it often creates speaking and breathing issues due to its bulkiness.
• Custom Made: This is the choice most recommended by dentists! A custom made mouthguard starts with a plaster cast of your child’s mouth. Dentists then use a vacuum or pressure lamination machine to shape your child’s mouthguard. While the vacuum method is satisfactory, it does not always provide the accuracy that a pressure lamination machine can.

Ask the family dentists at Pedodontics Associates Inc. about all of your mouthguard concerns. Your child deserves to stay safe this spring, because as always, safety means fun! For more information about pediatric dentistry, visit the Hawaii dentists online, and call (808) 487-7933 to schedule an appointment.