Braces and Sports: What Parents Can Do

Sports practices can be a point of concern for parents of children with braces. Accidents happen frequently and the last thing you’d want is a broken bracket or oral injury. We understand that as a parent, you want to keep your child safe while they play on the field. In this blogpost, we want to share what you can do as a parent to prevent injuries and keep your child safe.

Mouthguards are necessary to ensure your child’s safety during sports practices and games. They protect soft tissue and lessen impact, so that if something does happen – the consequences are less severe. Without proper protection, injuries such as broken teeth, lip lacerations, and jaw fractures are common. Custom mouthguards can be made for a more comfortable option. Afterall, braces are an investment and something to take care of. These custom guards offer comfort and possibly more efficiency, since they fit perfectly to your child’s mouth. Also, anxious children may perform better without additional stress and “what ifs.”

Cheaper is always more expensive. The last thing you’d want for your child is an injury that could have been prevented with the right gear. Investing in high quality helmets and mouth guards can save your family from additional orthodontic work, ER visits, and more due to injuries. Safety and peace of mind is the best investment you could make!

Letting your child’s coach know what’s going on may set a good example for your child to speak up for their needs. There’s no way for your child’s coach to know what they don’t know – so informing them allows them to be able to accommodate. This is smart for emergency preparedness so that if something does happen- they can assist.

Keeping an emergency kit on hand is a lifesaver! Basic things to add include OrthoDots, pain killer, a small mirror, mouthguard, and your orthodontist’s contact information for more severe injuries. Although you’ll need to call 911 for extreme emergencies, their orthodontist will be able to help with orthodontic trauma. Having these necessities on hand will hopefully result in better performance since your child will feel so much more comfortable.

As parents, we can’t control everything. But we can make small adjustments and choices that can have a positive impact for our kids safety and wellbeing. We hope these tips make you feel more at ease while your child is out on the field.

We’re accepting new patients. Please call or visit here to book your child’s free consultation today.