As the school year arrives in San Antonio, Texas, students begin to prepare for the sports that they will play during each season. Parents are tasked with making sure their children have the proper insurance coverage to play sports and with making sure that their children have all of the equipment needed to play the sport while staying safe on the field or on the court. One of the pieces of equipment that parents can make sure children have is a mouthguard as there are several benefits to this small appliance that fits in the mouth.

While playing around balls, rackets, and other equipment in various sports, the mouth is sometimes a target as anything can get thrown in the direction of the face. A mouthguard will cushion the impact of a ball or another object, providing a layer of protection between the object and the teeth. It can be used in the prevention of broken teeth as well as damage to the lips and the gums. A mouthguard that is worn the proper way can help reduce fractured or broken jaws as well.

If students have braces, then a mouthguard is essential to protect the brackets and other components of the orthodontic system. Injuries can be more severe for those who wear braces because of the added components that are in the mouth, most that are made of metal. The metal can easily cut the lips and other areas of the inside of the mouth if the student is hit in this area of the face. There are guards that can be made in a specific design to fit over the braces so that students are comfortable while playing or practicing. Parents should consider a mouthguard as an additional piece of equipment that is needed for the safety of their children if they want to play sports.

If you need some advice or would like to lean more about different types of mouthguards, please contact the San Antonio Orthodontics office of Dr. Keith Blalock.