Children and Mouthguards: Force, Performance, Willingness

In part one of this multi-part blog series, we went over some of the initial ways that wearing a mouthguard during activity helps protect children. Mouthguards are valuable for people of varying age ranges, but particularly so for kids whose mouths are still developing and who need protection from the risks that may impact this. 

At Damage Control Mouthguards, we're here to offer a wide range of mouthguard options, including custom fit and custom-design mouthguards for any age range. What are some of the other key ways a mouthguard helps protect children in particular? Here are several.

Improved Athletic Performance

One area that parents often overlook when considering the benefits of a mouthguard is that it can actually help improve athletic performance. A comfortable and well-fitting mouthguard helps keep the jaw aligned, which in turn improves breathing capabilities during activity. This can lead to better overall performance for your child.

In addition, a good mouthguard allows for easy communication between teammates, as it reduces muffling of the voice. This is often a plus for team sports where communication is key.

Force Redistribution

During various sports and activities, some of the key risks that are present to your child's jaw and mouth relate to the presence of force. When two kids collide, for instance, the force of this impact is often significant, and the mouth is a major area that can be impacted.

With a quality mouthguard, this force is redistributed away from sensitive areas such as teeth, lips and gums. This can help minimize the risk of serious damage that could occur if the mouth wasn't properly protected. This, in turn, reduces the risk of pain, trauma and expensive dental bills down the road.

Improve Willingness to Play Hard

In some cases, particularly if your child has undergone an injury to their mouth or jaw area in the past, there may be an unwillingness to play as hard as they should. This is a major problem, since it can limit their potential and also result in them being less competitive than their peers - and in fact, can also lead to increased injury risk despite this being the opposite of the goal.

With the right mouthguard in place, though, this fear of injury can be greatly minimized. A quality mouthguard acts as a reminder that your child is protected, and can help ensure that they play to the best of their ability.

As you can see, there are lots of important benefits that a good mouthguard offers for children in particular. With the right protection in place, kids are better able to participate in activity without fear of injury or difficulty performing - which ultimately leads to them having more fun and being more engaged.

Damage Control Mouthguards is here to provide the highest quality protection, so that your child can be confident in their safety during activity. Check out our selection of custom fit and custom-design mouthguards today!