When you’re out on the field or court, the last thing on your mind might be your smile—but protecting it is crucial. It should be your #1 priority—yes, even above winning! Sturgill Orthodontics knows how much effort you’ve put into achieving a great smile, and we want to help you keep it safe. So, how can you protect your smile while playing sports with braces? It’s all about taking the right steps to make sure an avoidable injury doesn’t set back the progress you’ve worked so hard for.
Why You Need To Protect Your Smile During Sports
Whether you’re scoring goals, earning points, or landing jumps, your mouth faces many potential hazards during sports—even in no-contact sports like gymnastics! For example, losing a fly ball in the sun could hit you, or if your hands miss when switching between the high and low gymnastics bars, your face could catch it instead.
These sports-related injuries can impact your teeth, gums, and jaw. A hard hit, accidental elbow, or missed footing can lead to displaced, chipped, or knocked-out teeth, painful jaw injuries, and gum damage. You could even cause you to bite your tongue pretty hard, which can take a couple of weeks to heal in a worst-case scenario.
Now, if you have braces, the stakes are higher because the orthodontic appliances can worsen all of the injuries we just talked about. The metal brackets and wires create more surfaces that can cut or irritate the inside of your mouth during an impact, making injuries more severe. A hit that might only bruise your gums without braces could lead to cuts, bleeding, or painful sores with them.
And if your braces get damaged—like a broken bracket or a bent wire—it’s not just uncomfortable, it can escalate the injury. A broken bracket can dig into your gums or cheeks, increasing the risk of infection or making it hard to eat and speak. Misaligned wires can poke into sensitive areas, adding to your discomfort and potentially causing further damage.
#1 Smile Security System: The Mouthguard
Fortunately, the possibility of most or all of the above issues occurring can be significantly reduced or prevented entirely with the right precautions, such as wearing protective face gear, even if it’s not mandated by your league or position (e.g., a pitcher’s mask, cage on your batting helmet, a shield on your hockey helmet, etc.).
Another way to protect your smile is with a mouthguard, which is your smile’s MVP—Most Valuable Protector. These can and should be worn with or without facial protective gear, especially if you have braces. A mouthguard acts as a cushion, absorbing the impact from blows that could otherwise lead to broken brackets, bent wires, or worse—damaged teeth and gums. It’s not just for high-contact sports, either. Low and no-contact sports participants of all ages should also wear mouthguards to protect their smiles!
Don’t just take our word for it. The American Dental Association suggests that people who play these common sports should wear a mouthguard:
- Basketball
- Lacrosse
- Combat Sports
- Rugby
- Football
- Soccer
- Handball
- Water polo
- Hockey (Ice and Field)
- Wrestling
- Acrobatics
- Skateboarding
- Baseball
- Skiing
- Bicycling
- Skydiving
- Equestrian Events
- Softball
- Field Events
- Squash
- Gymnastics
- Surfing
- Inline Skating
- Volleyball
- Racquetball
- Weightlifting
- Shot-Putting
P.S.: If you’re having trouble getting your child or teen to wear their mouthguard, remind them that even Olympic champions wear them while competing!
Types of Mouthguards
Not all mouthguards are created equal. There are two main types of mouthguards to consider:
- Ready-to-Wear Mouthguards: Stock mouthguards are pre-formed and ready to wear straight out of the package. Great news, we can size you for a ready-to-wear mouthguard the same day you get your braces! That way, you can still go to practice or a game and feel confident in protecting your smile.
- Custom Mouthguards: Custom-made mouthguards are created from a mold of your teeth, ensuring a perfect fit over your braces. Because they’re tailored to your mouth, they offer great protection against impacts and are generally comfortable to wear.
Braces-Friendly Sports
If you or your child are interested in starting a sport but are concerned about the safety of your smile or just want to avoid contact sports in general, there are plenty of braces-friendly options to consider. Swimming is a great choice, offering a full-body workout with virtually no impact risk to your face. Similarly, track and field events, like running or long jump, keep you active without putting your smile in harm’s way. Tennis and golf are also excellent low-risk sports where the focus is on skill rather than contact. Even non-contact team sports, like volleyball, offer a fun and competitive environment with minimal risk of injury to your teeth and braces.
Avoiding sports that can damage your smile is a great way to protect it!
What To Do If You Experience An Oral Injury With Braces
At Sturgill Orthodontics, we understand that accidents happen, even with the best precautions. We want to help you be prepared for the worst-case scenarios. If you experience an oral injury with braces, here are some steps you can take to manage the situation:
- Assess The Situation: Immediately after sustaining a facial injury, you or someone you trust should assess the situation of your teeth, gums, and braces once it is safe to do so. If the injury isn’t too severe, you might be able to use the following tips to finish the event. If necessary, contact Sturgill Orthodontics or your dentist for the next steps or schedule an appointment for repairs and treatment as soon as possible.
- Orthodontic Wax: If a broken bracket or wire is causing discomfort or poking into your cheek, use orthodontic wax to cover the sharp edges and protect your mouth.
- Ice Packs: You can apply an ice pack to the outside of your mouth to reduce swelling and numb the area.
- Orajel or Topical Anesthetic: Use Orajel or another topical anesthetic to relieve pain or irritation from injury or broken braces, but don’t put it on open wounds.
- Ibuprofen: Some over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen can also help relieve pain and reduce swelling.
Keep Smiling With Sturgill Orthodontics!
You’ve put in a lot of work to achieve a healthy, beautiful smile—don’t let a preventable injury set you back. Sturgill Orthodontics in Norton, VA, and Bristol and Johnson City, TN, are here to help you protect your teeth and braces while staying active. If you or your child has experienced an oral injury or need advice on keeping y’all’s smile safe, contact us today. Let’s keep your treatment on track and your smile in top shape!