Chapel Hill is a great town for youth sports. On any given Saturday in the spring or fall, you will see kids sprinting across soccer fields at Homestead Park, swinging bats at Southern Community Park, and wrestling in local tournaments. As a parent, you pack the water bottles, the extra socks, and the snack for the car ride home. But are you packing the right protection for their smile, including a custom mouthguard?
At Tarheel Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we see the aftermath of sports-related dental injuries. And the honest truth is that most of them could have been prevented or handled better. Let’s talk about how to keep your young athlete’s teeth safe, whether they are playing flag football or competing in gymnastics.
The Problem With Boil-and-Bite Mouthguards
A lot of parents assume any mouthguard will do. You grab a cheap “boil-and-bite” guard from the big box store, heat it in the microwave, and have your child bite down. Done, right? Not exactly.
Those one-size-fits-all guards are bulky, uncomfortable, and often loose. Kids end up spitting them out on the bench, chewing on them during timeouts, or leaving them at the bottom of their sports bag. A mouthguard only works if your child actually wears it.
Dr. Lee creates custom-fitted guards that are thin, comfortable, and stay put. Your child can talk to their teammates, breathe normally, and even drink water without taking it out. When a guard fits like it belongs there, kids stop fighting it. That simple change is the difference between protection and a trip to our office on a Sunday afternoon.
Which Sports Actually Need a Custom Mouthguard?
Football and hockey are obvious. But here is where parents get surprised. The American Dental Association recommends mouthguards for any sport that involves contact, falling, or flying equipment. That list includes:
- Soccer (headers and collisions)
- Basketball (elbows and falls on the floor)
- Gymnastics (bars and floor routines)
- Baseball and softball (wild pitches and bad hops)
- Wrestling (direct jaw pressure)
- Skateboarding and BMX (concrete does not move)
If your child is working up a sweat and there is a chance they could fall or run into someone, a custom guard is a smart investment.
What To Do If a Tooth Gets Knocked Out
Let’s hope you never need this advice. But if you are standing on a sideline in Durham or Raleigh and your child takes a bad hit, here is what actually works.
First, stay calm. Find the tooth. Pick it up by the crown (the white part you normally see), not the root. If it looks dirty, gently rinse it with cold milk or saline. Do not scrub it. Do not use soap. Do not let it dry out.
For a permanent tooth, try to place it back in the socket and have your child hold it there with gentle pressure on a clean cloth or gauze. If that is not possible, put the tooth in a cup of cold milk or your child’s own saliva. Do not use plain tap water.
Then call us immediately. Time matters. Getting to a dentist within 30 to 60 minutes gives the tooth the best chance of being saved.
A Routine Checkup Is Also Prevention
One last thing. A child who sees us regularly for checkups is a child we know. We can spot a loose filling, a slightly weak tooth, or an early orthodontic issue that could make an injury worse. Prevention is not just about gear. It is about knowing your child’s smile before something happens.
If your young athlete is due for a visit or you want to ask about a custom mouthguard, give us a call. We are right here on E. Franklin St., and we want to keep those game-day smiles intact.
