Playing sports is fun! It’s great for your health and can help you learn awesome life skills like teamwork, confidence, and good sportsmanship. But it’s also important to stay safe. Continue reading for our top back-to-school sports safety tips to keep you in the game and protect your smile.
Dental Risks in Sports
One of our top back-to-school sports safety tips is to learn about the risks of any sport you want to play. Knowing the risks of any activity you participate in before you participate is important so that you can know how to protect yourself before you get injured.
Many people think of contact sports where players tackle or check each other as posing the greatest risk of dental injuries, but any sport where there is a risk of falling or getting hit by a ball can put you at risk. That’s why it’s important to talk with your dentist about which safety gear they recommend for your sport.
The Right Safety Gear
Many sports require protective gear such as a helmet, shoulder pads, or knee pads, but many don’t require any protective gear with your dental safety in mind. Whether you’re signed up to play a sport on a team or just playing for fun with friends at the park, wearing the right safety gear is important.
Sports safety can often be as simple as slipping on a mouthguard before you hit the field or court to help cushion your teeth and protect them in case you fall or get hit by another player, racket, or ball.
And it’s not just about protecting your smile! Mouthguards have also been shown to help prevent jaw injuries, cut lips, and brain injuries.
Your Smile is Worth It!
You might feel worried that if you wear the protective gear your dentist recommends, such as a mouthguard, it might make you feel less “cool” than other players or friends who don’t wear a mouthguard. But trust us: having a tooth chipped, broken, or knocked out isn’t cool or fun at all! In fact, having an awesome smile is just about the coolest thing ever, so it’s important to protect yours! And we’re here to help you know how to do that!
Call our Dowagiac Dental Office to make an appointment with a dentist who may be able to help you find out more about this topic, and improve your oral health.