Sports and Braces Liverpool: A Mouthguard Guide for Active Kids
If your child plays sports, you already know the importance of shin guards, helmets, and proper footwear. But when your child gets braces, protecting their smile becomes just as critical as protecting the rest of their body. At Your Family Dentist Liverpool, we want your child to stay active and have fun without risking damage to their teeth or their orthodontic hardware. Here is our comprehensive guide to navigating sports and braces in Liverpool.
The Risks of Playing Sports with Braces
Whether it is soccer, basketball, rugby, martial arts, or even gymnastics, any sport that involves potential contact with other players, balls, or equipment poses a risk to the mouth.
According to Your Family Dentist Liverpool, when a child wearing braces takes a hit to the face, several things can happen:
- Soft Tissue Injuries: The impact can push the lips and cheeks against the metal brackets and wires, causing severe cuts, lacerations, and bleeding inside the mouth.
- Broken Hardware: A blow to the mouth can easily dislodge brackets from the teeth, bend or snap the archwire, or break the elastic bands. This requires emergency orthodontic repair and can delay treatment progress.
- Tooth Damage: In severe cases, the impact can chip, fracture, or even knock out a tooth, regardless of whether braces are present.
The Solution: An Orthodontic Mouthguard
The absolute best way to protect your child’s smile while they play sports is by having them wear an orthodontic mouthguard. However, not all mouthguards are created equal, especially when braces are involved.
Why Standard “Boil and Bite” Mouthguards Don’t Work
You can find “boil and bite” mouthguards at any sporting goods store. You boil them in water to soften the plastic, then bite into them to mold them to your teeth. While these are okay for kids without braces, they are a terrible idea for kids with braces.
Because the plastic molds tightly around the brackets and wires, it can actually lock onto the braces. When the child tries to remove the mouthguard, they can accidentally pull the brackets right off their teeth. Furthermore, braces are constantly moving the teeth; a mouthguard molded to the teeth today will not fit properly a few weeks from now.
The Benefits of an Orthodontic Mouthguard
An orthodontic mouthguard is specifically designed to be worn over braces. It is made from a high-grade silicone that provides excellent shock absorption. More importantly, it is designed to fit comfortably over the brackets and wires without molding to them tightly. This allows the mouthguard to protect the soft tissues of the lips and cheeks while giving the teeth room to move as the braces do their job.
Custom Mouthguards from Your Family Dentist
For the ultimate protection, we highly recommend a custom-fitted mouthguard made right here at Your Family Dentist Liverpool. We can take a precise impression of your child’s mouth (accommodating their braces) and create a mouthguard that offers superior fit, comfort, and protection compared to anything bought over the counter.
Custom mouthguards are less bulky, making it easier for your child to breathe, speak, and communicate with their teammates on the field.
What to Do in a Dental Emergency
Even with the best protection, accidents can happen. If your child takes a hit to the mouth while wearing braces:
- Check for Serious Injury: First, ensure there are no signs of concussion or severe head injury. If there are, seek medical attention immediately.
- Assess the Mouth: Check for bleeding, loose teeth, or broken braces hardware.
- Call Us: If a bracket is loose, a wire is poking, or a tooth is damaged, contact Your Family Dentist Liverpool as soon as possible. We prioritize dental emergencies and will get your child in for an assessment and repair quickly.
Keep Your Child Smiling on the Field
Don’t let braces stop your child from enjoying their favorite sports. With the right protection, they can play hard and keep their smile safe.
If your child needs a custom orthodontic mouthguard, or if you have questions about protecting their braces, book a consultation at Your Family Dentist Liverpool — call us today on (02) 7256 4979.