Spring is finally here. The grass is getting green, the cleats are coming out of the closet, and your family calendar is filling up with practices, games, and tournaments. Soccer. Baseball. Lacrosse. Skateboarding at the park. It is all fun and games until someone takes an elbow to the mouth.
At Mt. Airy Children’s Dental Associates, we love seeing kids stay active. But we also see what happens when a wild pitch meets a front tooth. The good news? Most of those injuries are completely preventable with one simple piece of gear: a custom mouthguard. Here’s what every parent needs to know about protecting their child’s smile this season.
The Staggering Numbers Parents Should Know
According to the American Dental Association, athletes who do not wear mouthguards are sixty times more likely to damage their teeth. Yes, you read that right. Sixty times.
Every year, sports-related dental injuries send thousands of kids to the emergency room. A knocked-out tooth. A chipped crown. A bitten lip or tongue. These injuries are painful, scary, and often expensive to fix. But almost all of them could have been avoided with a simple piece of plastic.
Boil-and-Bite vs. Custom-Fitted: What Is the Difference?
You’ve probably seen mouthguards at the drugstore. They come in a little plastic box, and the instructions say something about boiling water. These are called “boil-and-bite” mouthguards. They’re better than nothing. Way better. But they are not the same as a custom mouthguard from your dentist.
Here’s the breakdown:
Boil-and-Bite (Stock Mouthguards)
- Cost: $10 to $30
- Fit: One-size-fits-most (which really means it fits almost no one perfectly)
- Downsides: Bulky, hard to breathe through, and often so uncomfortable that kids “forget” to wear them
- Protection: Good, but not great
Custom-Fitted Mouthguards
- Cost: Higher upfront, but often covered by dental insurance
- Fit: Made from an actual mold of your child’s teeth
- Upsides: Thin, comfortable, easy to talk and breathe through. Your child will actually want to wear it.
- Protection: Excellent
Think of it like shoes. You could wear a pair of borrowed flip-flops to run a race. Or you could wear sneakers that were made for your feet. Which one is going to protect you better?
Which Sports Actually Need a Mouthguard?
Most parents remember mouthguards for football and hockey. But the truth is, any sport where there’s even a small chance of falling or bumping into someone counts.
That includes:
- Soccer (headers and collisions happen all the time)
- Basketball (elbows and fast breaks = dental danger)
- Baseball and softball (a bad hop or a wild pitch)
- Gymnastics (the balance beam is not forgiving)
- Skateboarding and scootering (pavement plus teeth equals no fun)
- Lacrosse, wrestling, and martial arts
If your child is running, jumping, or falling, they should be wearing a mouthguard. Period.
Signs Your Child’s Custom Mouthguard Needs Replacing
A mouthguard is not a buy-it-once-and-forget-it kind of thing. Kids grow. Teeth move. And mouthguards wear out.
Replace your child’s mouthguard if you notice:
- Holes or tears in the material
- A loose fit (if it falls out when they tilt their head)
- A smell that will not go away no matter how much you clean it
- New braces or orthodontic work
A Quick Word About Braces
If your child has braces, a standard mouthguard will not cut it. Braces create sharp brackets and wires that can cut through a regular mouthguard (and cut your child’s lips and gums). Ask us about orthodontic mouthguards designed specifically for kids with braces.
We Can Help
At Mt. Airy Children’s Dental Associates, we offer custom-fitted mouthguards that are comfortable, durable, and actually get worn. Most insurance plans cover them, and we can walk you through the simple process.
Before your child takes the field this spring, give us a call at (301) 781-5337 or request an appointment online. A few minutes in our office can save your child’s smile for a lifetime.