When Should Kids Wear Mouthguards? Dentists Say More Often Than Parents Think

"My son is 8 years old when he hops on his friend's hoverboard, and the two of them glide down the street like one glorious unit, sharing that little slice of plastic. They steer towards a sidewalk, but the second they hit the concrete, the machine dies, and they go flying. A few minutes later, my son is standing in front of me in tears, lifting his chin to show me where half of his front tooth used to be."

"Never in his whole life will that tooth grow back. I mourn it, irrationally and immediately. Then I mourn the expense on my pocketbook to fix it. I hate to admit this, but I waited months to book a dentist appointment, partly because we were busy and partly because I dreaded how much it would cost to fix. Besides, I kind of got used to his chipped smile."

"So I asked an orthodontist and a dentist: When should kids actually be wearing mouth guards? The answer was much broader than I expected and included far more than just contact sports. Kids should be wearing mouthguards more than you think We might all expect injuries from contact sports like football and hockey, but Dr. Liel Grinbaum, a pediatric dentist, says he treats many young patients for seemingly low-risk activities, such as playing on the playground, jumping on trampolines, and riding scooters."

"Thanks to the rise of electric bikes, mopeds, and other motorized equipment, the risk of tooth injuries has increased, he says. (I know this firsthand.) Basketball is another sport that's underestimated, adds Karin Grinbaum, an orthodontist, because players"

An 8-year-old rides a friend’s hoverboard, steers toward a sidewalk, and the machine stops on concrete, causing a fall that knocks out part of an adult tooth. The tooth cannot regrow, leading to immediate grief and later concern about dental costs. A delayed dentist appointment and growing acceptance of the chipped smile are followed by questions about when mouthguards should be used. Pediatric and orthodontic guidance indicates mouthguards are needed more often than expected, including for playground play, trampoline jumping, and scooter riding. Increased use of electric bikes and mopeds raises the risk of tooth injuries, and basketball is also identified as an underestimated risk activity.

Read at Scary Mommy