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If your child plays basketball, soccer, or softball, know this: experts believe that, in at least one respect, they are some the most dangerous sports around.

Eight-year-old Regan Stricklin plays softball. And sometimes she’s afraid to catch a fly ball.

“You get scared because you think it’s going to come down and just, pow! – right in your nose,” says Regan.

“I’ve seen people get hit right in the mouth,” adds her mom, Robyn. “I’ve seen them get hit in the head.”

Still, Regan doesn’t wear a mouth guard.

“They make me look funny,” she says, “because they make your mouth poof out.”

When you think “sports” and “broken teeth,” many people think ice hockey.

“Well, the sports that you think of as dangerous,” says family dentist Dr. Bill Williams, “like football and hockey, have had some rules put into their sport where they have to wear mouth guards, they have to wear helmets, they have face protectors. And so what used to be the most dangerous is now the least dangerous.”

Now, experts say, kids who play soccer, basketball and softball are much more likely to break a tooth than those who play football or ice hockey.

The reason? Most players don’t wear mouth guards.

“I’ll tell you this,” adds Dr. Williams, “everybody who wears a mouth guard that I have treated has no injuries.”

And, dentists say, the biggest reason to wear a mouth guard is not broken teeth: it’s a concussion.

“The concussion can come from hitting the head severely at any angle,” says Dr. Williams, “but one of the most severe concussions is one that goes through the jaw. When the jaw is hit [in the chin] it drives the jawbone up into the base of the skull – which is very thin. And so you get a bigger concussion this way than any other direction.”

“I didn’t even know that a mouth guard could stop a concussion,” says Robyn.

Next season, Regan says she might be willing to wear a mouth guard.

“Probably would,” says Regan, “because I like my smile and stuff – and I don’t want it to be damaged.”

What We Need To Know

• The American Association of Endodontists urges all parents, coaches, and athletic directors to enforce mouth guard use. It’s easier to get children to wear a mouth guard if everyone on the team has one, too. (American Association of Endodontists)
• If you can afford it, a mouth guard custom-made by your dentist offers much better protection than the store-bought, “boil and bite” types. Often, “boil and bite” mouth guards are too soft. Kids also chew on them, creating a bad fit. (Bill Williams, D.M.D., Family Dentist)
• Mouth guards custom-made by your dentist typically cost between 75 and 300 dollars. They grip to the teeth firmly, so they won’t fall out upon impact. Also, custom-made mouth guards are smaller, so kids can talk and breathe. This is important, because if a mouth guard is uncomfortable your child may not wear it. (Bill Williams, D.M.D, Family Dentist)
• If a tooth gets knocked out, get to a dentist within 30 minutes. (Bill Williams, D.M.D., Family Dentist)
• The worst thing you can do to a tooth that has come out of the socket is to scrub the root. Run the tooth under water or simply put it back in your mouth. (American Association of Endodontists)
• The sooner you replace the tooth in its socket, the greater its chances for survival. If the tooth cannot be put back in its socket, carry it in your mouth next to your cheek. You can also transport the tooth in milk or water, preferably with a pinch of salt. (American Association of Endodontists)
• You can also buy a small container of “tooth saver” liquid from the dentist, to use in case of emergencies. It fits in your gym bag, and is the best liquid to preserve an avulsed (knocked-out) tooth. The cost is around 15 dollars. (Bill Williams, D.M.D., Family Dentist)

Resources

• American Association of Endodontists
• Bill Williams, D.M.D., Family Dentist

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