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Child Mouthgaurds
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Mouthguards for Children
The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) has proven over recent years through research indicating 80% of trips to the emergency room related to sports injuries are for children between the ages of 5 and 14. Your children do not need to contribute to this misfortune. This intimidating statistic can drastically be reduced in your family by properly worn Mouthguards and other safety equipment at any time sports are being played.
Children are far too occupied, and rightfully so during this developmental time, to be concerned about long term oral health. Promoting a lifestyle of oral health and safety by preventing mouth injuries is a responsibility that falls to us as their parents, coaches, schools, recreational and league programs. The National Facial Protection Month continuously aims to create awareness across the nation about the critical need for proper facial protection while children are playing sports whether for fun or in an organized league. Children are going to play rough from time to time and accidents do happen. Using a custom mouthguard from your pediatric dentist can drastically minimize the risk of serious injury.
Leading Dental Experts Weigh in on The Important Matter of Mouthguards
Dr. Robert Bray is the former president of AAO and has set the bar high by firmly stating, "As experts in helping patients achieve a healthy, beautiful smile, the last thing my colleagues and I want to see is a smile ruined by a preventable injury." Other leading organizations such as the National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS) are passionate about spreading the compelling word to help parents, children, league administrators, pediatric dentists, directors and especially coaches to stay safe by promoting the use of Mouthguards at all times, even during practices.
Advocacy for Mouthguard Awareness
Joining the progress for awareness support are sports heroes that all kids can look up to as role models. Football legend Emmitt Smith strives to help children change their perception and see that using a mouthguard is not weird, but rather makes them look cool. The YWCA and YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs across America, as well as over 3,000 neighborhood parks and rec programs are jumping on board with promoting the use of facial protection during all sports activities. Public advocacy continues to aid these efforts in helping children and their parents take initiative to reduce the opportunity for facial injuries. Traumatic injuries may result in the need for expensive and invasive reparative procedures that could have been avoided through the routine use of inexpensive Mouthguards. Often times, the damage from these injuries goes further than that. Children are set back during recovery and it is possible to have scarring after reparative surgery that affects their self-image and confidence.
You may have heard your mother say, once adult teeth have come in, we do not get another set. That saying still holds truth to this day. It is imperative to ensure every effort is made to take care of those permanent teeth. Instilling in our youth today the importance of preventing mouth injuries will go a long way towards ensuring a high quality in oral health throughout their lives.
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