One of the most common reasons that parents decide to get fitted for a mouth guard is because they have a child who grinds or clenches their teeth at night. Grinding your teeth at night can lead to tooth fractures and even mouth and jaw injuries like TMJD (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder). One way to prevent them is with a properly fitted mouth guard, which actually reduces the occurrence of both tooth grinding and TMJ! Mouth guards are not only vital in protecting the health of your teeth but also your overall oral region.

QUESTION

How can mouth guards protect children's teeth and reduce the likelihood of a traumatic brain injury?

 Though mouth guards are primarily designed to protect a child's teeth from getting damaged, they can also dramatically reduce the degree of force that is transmitted from a trauma impact point (jaw) to the central nervous system (base of the brain). This is important for younger children because studies show that when traumatized, their brains sustain more injuries than those of adults. That's why attending sporting events for younger kids often includes wearing mouth guards.