Orthodontist Landsdale

"Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." -Mike Tyson

(Montgomery County, PA)- Many parents ask whether their child in braces or Invisalign needs to wear a mouthguard while playing sports. Below are some guidelines to help you ensure your child's teeth are protected while playing sports.

Advantages of Mouthguards

1. Cushion any forceful contact to the face, lips, or jaws to prevent injury
2. Prevent teeth from being chipped, broken, or injured when heavy contact is sustained
3. Evenly distribute force when contact is sustained to the mouth, lips, or teeth

Types of Mouthguards

1. Custom Fit Mouthguards (the cream of the crop, best fitting and performing, made by your dentist or orthodontist)
2. Orthodontic Mouthguards (designed to fit around braces, expanders, and other orthodontic appliances and to give teeth the freedom to move while still providing great protection)
3. Boil and Bite Mouthguards (DIY at-home customization, gets the job done but may not fit as well and will be more bulky when compared to a custom fit mouthguard)

When should my child wear a mouthguard?

1. Any sport or activity where forceful contact to the face could be sustained
2. More obvious sports are: football, hockey, lacrosse, field hockey, boxing, martial arts
3. Less obvious sports where facial injuries can occur but mouthguard wear is typically inconsistent and/or not required to be worn amongst players are: basketball, soccer, baseball, softball. In my practice, I have seen the highest amount of significant dental trauma stemming from basketball in instances where a mouthguard was not being worn
4. If there is any chance for contact to the face or teeth, then a mouthguard = your best friend

If you have any questions about mouth protection or prevention of trauma while playing sports, please feel free to email me at info@dco-ortho.com. We are committed to helping you! I hope you found this short article helpful!

Misconceptions exist about the general experience of having braces and are typically based on recommendations, procedures and technologies from decades ago.  New research has enabled advanced technologies that have made the orthodontic experience much better than it would have been even 5 or 10 years ago. This is great news for everybody.

“Can I chew gum with braces?”

This is one of the most common questions we have in our practice. The short answer is yes, if the gum is sugar-free and contains xylitol. Several recent scientific studies have shown that gum with xylitol (examples- Trident, Icebreakers, and many others) have a multitude of benefits:

1. Reduction of Tooth Decay
2. Aids Enamel Remineralization and Repair
3. Increases Salivary Flow
4. Increases Comfort During Tooth Movement

Always follow your specific orthodontist’s recommendations when it comes to the care of your braces.  Each patient’s case or type of braces being used may vary. There are specific cases (TMJ pain/discomfort) when gum chewing is not recommended. However, at DCO, we generally recommend that our patients chew a sugar-free gum that contains xylitol 2-3 times per day.  Invisalign patients may chew gum as well when aligners are removed. The best timing for chewing gum during orthodontic treatment is immediately after a meal.

So, at DCO, you have the OK to chew away!