{"id":415,"date":"2026-10-29T16:37:55","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T16:37:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidsdentistry.com\/blog\/?p=415"},"modified":"2026-10-29T16:37:57","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T16:37:57","slug":"which-sports-need-mouthguards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsdentistry.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/29\/which-sports-need-mouthguards\/","title":{"rendered":"Does My Child Really Need a Mouthguard for Their Extracurricular Sport?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

If your child is an athlete, you likely already know the physical toll their sport of choice can take on their body. Between the muscle aches, bumps and bruises, and even the exhaustion after a game well-played, it\u2019s important that they protect themselves with proper technique, stretching, and adequate rest. Here\u2019s why a professional mouthguard<\/a> from their dentist should be part of their safety checklist, too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Stats<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to studies, children who don\u2019t wear a mouthguard when playing contact sports are a staggering 60 times<\/em> more likely to suffer a dental injury, including knocked out, broken, chipped, or cracked teeth!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sports<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While some leagues have begun requiring children to wear a mouthguard while playing games and during practice, unfortunately this is not always enforced and does not apply to every sport. However, just because this practice isn\u2019t mandatory across the board doesn\u2019t mean you should leave your child\u2019s smile unprotected. If they play any of the following sports, the American Dental Association recommends that you keep their teeth and gums shielded from injury with the help of a mouthguard:<\/p>\n\n\n\n