The sun is shining, it is a warm spring day. Your child has their first sporting event today. You get everything packed- chairs, sunscreen, hats, water bottles, snacks, etc. You've been watching the game and you are so excited because your child is doing so well. All of a sudden a ball comes and hits your child in the mouth. A time out is called and you run down to the field and notice that your child's mouth is bleeding. As you have your child open their mouth to get a better look at the accident you notice that part of your child's braces are broke and your child has some cuts in their mouth. You call your orthodontist and they meet you at the office for an emergency visit. As your orthodontist is looking and repairing your child, he/she asks if your child was wearing their mouth guard? Whoops, the one thing you forgot to pack!
If that story sounds familiar to you, you are not alone. Did you know that 67% of parents say their child does not wear a mouth guard - yet, 70% say their biggest fear when their child plays sports is that they will get hurt?* According to the American Association of Orthodontists, one out of every 4 parents say their child has sustained an injury during an organized sport resulting in a trip to the emergency room. Of the parents whose children do not wear a mouth guard, 84% say it's because the league or coach does not require it.* Cheerleading is also considered one of the most dangerous sports, accounting for 65% of all injuries in high school girls' athletics according to MSNBC.com. Therefore, the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) and football great Emmitt Smith are teaming up together to help spread the word about the importance of mouth guard awareness during the month of April.
The main purpose of a mouth guard is to cover and protect the teeth and braces while playing a sport, which can help prevent jaw, mouth and teeth injuries caused by a collision or a fall. Mouth guards can come in a variety of colors, sizes, shapes and also vary in price. While the color of a mouth guard does not make that big of a difference (some sporting leagues may require you to have a certain color), the type of mouth guard does. When in orthodontic treatment, make sure that you do not get a mouth guard that needs to be boiled. The boiled mouth guards are form fitting to your teeth and due to your mouth consistantly changing while wearing braces, the boiled mouth guards may not fit through out your child's sport season. We recommend you get a mouth guard that you can adapt to fit your child's mouth by trimming it with scissors. Dick's Sporting Goods or Wal Mart seem to have the best selection and carry orthodontic mouth guards such as The Shock Doctor Youth Gel mouth guard that sells for around $15-$16 each. If you are unsure which mouth guard will work best for your child and their sporting event talk with your orthodontist. 
So, remember as you start to pack up for the next big game don't forget to grab your child's mouth guard. A trip to the emergency room is definately not as much fun as being there to watch your child and their team win the big game!
You may also want to visit Mom's For Mouthguards website and make a pledge stating that you will have your child/children wear a mouth guard, to help protect their winning smile and prevent facial injuries while participating in sports activities. For each pledge made, the AAO will donate mouth guards to the National Alliance for Youth Sports.
*American Association of Orthodontists
