1. Protecting Your Child’s Teeth from Sports
No pain, no gain, right? Kids are surprisingly tough little creatures. In my very own elementary school,
we had lots of sports related mishaps. Playing soccer, little Chad crashed into the goal post and had to
get stiches on his head. I got smacked in the face with a basketball and nearly broke my nose. Kids fell
off the monkey bars, tripped and scraped their knees playing tag, and twisted ankles playing kickball.
It’s a natural part of life.
Then there was organized sports. Junior Jazz games never ended without at least one injury: a
basketball to the face, a jammed finger, an elbow in the eye, or some floor burns. But did that stop us
from playing? No way. The same went for local soccer leagues, swim and diving classes, volleyball, and
so on. Getting hurt is part of being a kid.
Kids Sports
However, kids sports should never be so rough that they are permanently damaged in one way or
another. There are some precautions that should be taken when it comes to potentially serious injuries.
For example, kids that are learning to skate need to wear knee and elbow pads. When biking, all kids
(and adults) should wear helmets. Little soccer players need shin guards, and beginner swimmers
should wear life vests or floaters.
These protective measures avert serious, potentially lasting injuries like broken bones, concussions,
brain damage, and drowning. But there is one more thing that people often forget: mouth guards. Just
because baby teeth eventually
fall out, that doesn’t mean
they aren’t important.
Baby teeth help guide adult
teeth into proper positions.
They also contribute to the
health of gums. Older kids will
also have adult teeth that
especially need to be
protected. In sports like
football, basketball, and even
soccer can lead to serious
teeth damage. It could be a
high-flying ball, a kick in the
mouth, a collision with another player, or falling face-first on the ground. Ouch.
Protecting Your Kids
In order to protect your kid’s mouth from the accidents rife in sports, mouth guards can go a long way.
Child mouth guards can be molded to fit the specific contours of your child’s mouth. These mouth

2. guards are made of soft plastic and will protect a child’s teeth, lips, cheeks, and gums. Pediatric dentists
in Sandy, UT can make this custom fitted mouth guards that will be a great protection to your child’s
teeth, face, and even head in general.
With a mouth guard, your child will be protected from direct contact with a ball, elbow, the ground, or
whatever may hit them. Additionally, if a child trips or crashes into another child or object, the backlash
could cause your child’s mouth to snap shut suddenly – damaging teeth, cutting lips, their tongue, or
cheeks. Mouth guards made by your dentist in Sandy can protect your child from any of these injuries.
So don’t deprive your kids the joy and experience of sporting activities because of the possibility of
injury. There are plenty of protective measures you can take that ensure their safety and allow them to
be a kid!