Dentist near Burlington discusses why custom mouth guards are an essential piece of equipment for the pediatric athlete

Each new school year and throughout the year, children of all ages are invited to participate in sporting activities. Engaging in sports is a wonderful way for children to stay healthy, to get physical exercise and to meet new friends. A number of skills can be learned on the field, court, or on the mat. At the same time, there is an inherent risk for injury. When collecting gear that your child will need for his or her sport season, it is also a good idea to visit your dentist near Burlington to discuss one of the essentials often overlooked – the mouth guard.

Mouth guards are intended to protect the teeth, jaw, and other structures from injury. It is not only kids who play team contact sports such as football or wrestling who need to protective gear. At Burloak Centre Dentistry in Oakville, we design custom fit mouth guards for kids and adults of all ages who engage in numerous types of sports, even skiing, soccer, or gymnastics.

Dental injuries that a mouth guard can prevent or buffer fall into three categories; Avulsion, Fracture and Luxation.

Avulsion, or having a tooth entirely knocked out

Timing is key to saving a tooth that has been knocked out. Care should ideally be obtained within thirty minutes of the injury; sixty minutes at the most. Whom you see for this situation will depend on your location and on the time of day the injury occurs. If during normal working hours, Burloak Centre Dentistry will provide emergency care in the best attempt to save the tooth. If necessary, you may need to visit your local emergency room.

• The tooth should not be handled by the root, only by the crown (the chewing
• The tooth does not need to be cleaned and should NOT be scrubbed
• Gentle rinsing with water is sufficient for cleaning
• Insert the tooth into the socket if possible. It can be stabilized by biting down
• Contact Burloak Centre Dentistry or the nearest

Fracture. This may be a chipped or broken tooth or a fracture in the root.

• Stabilize the tooth if possible
• Bring any fragmented pieces you can to our office surface) gently on a cloth
• Fragments may be transported in milk or in the patient’s mouth

Luxation is an injury in which a tooth remains in the socket but has been moved out of position

• Lateral displacement occurs when the tooth is pulled forward or pushed back
• Extrusion causes the tooth to look longer than adjacent teeth

This list discusses only those injuries that could occur to the teeth. A well-made mouth guard, one that is formed to the individual’s oral structure, can protect from jaw and joint injuries as well. Choosing a mouth guard may seem as easy as visiting your local sporting goods store. Looking at the extent of injuries that could occur during sports, it is easy to see why a mouth guard really needs to be formed to YOUR teeth and jaw. Call Burloak Centre Dentistry at (905) 581-4436 for a custom piece of gear!