It is estimated that over 5 million teeth are knocked out every year. Many of these dental traumas transpire on the playing field or court. Each dislodged tooth requires several trips to the dentist and hundreds of dollars in restoration costs. Not to mention pain!
At Cary Family Dental, we want to raise awareness of the importance of athletic mouth protection. I advise my patients to think of mouthguards as a key part of their protective gear.
Most Cary parents require their young kids and teenagers to wear helmets when biking and shinguards while playing soccer. I encourage parents to emphasize the importance of mouth protection from their child’s very first 5-year-old T-ball game. And we all need to practice what we preach.
There are three main types of mouthguards: ready-to-wear, boil and bite, and custom-fitted. Stock types are ready-made and rarely fit well. (Though they are better than nothing.)
You can find boil and bite mouth protectors at Cary sporting goods stores. They are to be softened in water and then formed in the mouth (following the manufacturer’s directions).
Some Cary dentists offer custom sports mouthguards that provide the highest level of protection and comfort. Mouth protectors that are comfortable are more likely to be worn by kids who complain about wearing a mouthguard. Ask your dentist about custom mouthguards.
Mouth protection is extremely important for Cary patients with braces or fixed bridge work. Some Cary orthodontists recommend mouth protectors for lower teeth as well.
For more specifics about mouth protection, call us today.
Contact Cary Family Dental:
919-371-4428
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
915 Kildaire Farm Rd
Cary, North Carolina
27511
