Do your kids have mouth guards? If they’re among the 20 to 25 million kids participating in competitive sports, they probably should!
If you’d like a mouthguard to protect your child’s teeth, you can get one for FREE from our sponsors at Smiles Orthodontics, right in downtown Puyallup.
What does a mouth guard do, and why should your child use one? Here are some facts sent in by Dr. Larson and his team.
- 10-20% of sports injuries are to the face, teeth, or jaw
- The American Dental Association recommends wearing custom mouth guards for the following sports: acrobats, basketball, boxing, field hockey, football, gymnastics, handball, ice hockey, lacrosse, martial arts, racquetball, roller hockey, rugby, shot putting, skateboarding, skiing, skydiving, soccer, squash, surfing, volleyball, water polo, weightlifting, and wrestling. Other experts include baseball and softball infielders on that list.
- The Mouth Guard should be worn during practice and games
- There is controversy over whether a mouth guard will help with concussions
- What it WILL help with is limiting damage to the teeth, lips, cheeks, and braces
- Teeth injured during sports can be broken, completely knocked out, or partially extruded
-Kids currently in orthodontic treatment should purchase a specialized mouth guard made just for braces. These can be found in your local sports stores.
Some Cleaning Tips
- rinse before and after each use or brush with a toothbrush and toothpaste
- occasionally clean the mouthguard in cool, soapy water and rinse thoroughly
- transport the mouthguard in a sturdy container that has vents
- never leave the mouth guard in the sun or in hot water
- check for wear and tear to see if it needs replacing
If you’d like a mouth guard for your young athlete, you can get stop in at Smiles Orthodontics and get one for FREE. Dr. Larson provides them as a free service for kids in our community. They’re flavored, so your kids will like using them, and you can even get a color to match your local school!
It’s just another fun way Dr.Larson helps keep kids’ smiles healthy. We just love his big heart for our town and for our community’s kiddos. Of course, if you have any questions about mouth guard use, or about your child’s orthodontic needs, he and his team would be glad to talk to you. If your child is 7 or up, now is the time for a consult to find out if braces are in your future, and that first visit is always FREE! You can check out their website, or give them a call at 253.848.4537.
Update-Right now, if you’re a new patient, and you mention Sounds Fun Mom (or show the Smiles ad on your phone), you will get a free Waterpik at the start of treatment! We got one when our son started braces, and it has been Super helpful. This is also a really high dollar freebie-just remember to mention their ad at SFM to get it. Thanks so much!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. Information was provided by Dr.Larson. Opinions are my own! We are grateful to have Dr.Larson as our own son’s orthodontist, and we are super proud to have Smiles Orthodontics as a site sponsor. If you stop in for a FREE mouth guard or call for a complimentary initial consult, I’d appreciate it if you mentioned Sounds Fun Mom! Thanks!
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