Braces (for teeth) and sports...

[bears]

DD just got braces and the orthodontist seems to be pretty adamant that she should be wearing a mouth guard for nearly all athletic activities, even those that aren't really contact sports. DD has a lot of sensory shit going on and adamantly doesn't want to wear one.

So if your kid has braces, so they wear a mouth guard for sports? What sports do they play? DH and I are divided on this topic.

[1confused1]

My son played basketball, football and baseball when he had braces. He only wore a mouth guard for football.

[isabel]

I never wore a mouth guard playing competitive soccer as a kid.

[mainelyfoolish]

My oldest was in soccer and swim team during their phase I braces, and I only required wearing a mouth guard for soccer. The same kid is now in phase II braces and does not wear a mouth guard for color guard/winter guard.

[jinkies]

He wore a mouthguard for football but that was required whether or not he had braces.

I think that his braces were off before he started competitive mountain biking, but there are other kids on the team with braces, and they don't wear a mouthguard. It's not really a sport where you'd be hit by a stray elbow or anything though, and if you get hit by a branch you have bigger issues than your braces LOL.

Any other physical activities are more casual and definitely no mouthguard.

[heygrey]

I played highly competitive softball in middle and high school and I don't recall teammates wearing mouth guards, but lots with braces.

I had braces an an adult at 30/31 and my ortho was pretty chill. He would tell me "we recommend XYZ because it's high level practice, but reality is most patients can't/don't follow it."

I did not do anything remotely competitive or contact in my 30s so mouth guards were not on my radar.

[InBetweenDays]

A mouth guard is required for lacrosse so he wore one for that. He didn't wear one for soccer.

Same with DD, although she also played volleyball and didn't wear one for that.

[sparty04]

DS1 plays baseball and flag football and only wears one for flag because it's required. He's always messing with it though and I think he finds it distracting. I can't imagine forcing him to wear it during baseball

[sdlaura]

7th grade DD has braces and plays flag football, softball, and basketball and will only wear a mouth guard for flag football because it’s required.

She often has 3 softball games in a row. Can’t imagine her wearing a mouth guard for hours on end, and the in and out of her mouth would make it super disgusting.

[mysteriouswife]

Pulling skin and lip from braces is my worst fear. DD wears them when playing all sports.

[plutosmoon]

DD wasn't wearing a mouth guard when she was practicing her acro dance and I wish she had been. She smacked her knee into her front tooth pretty hard, there was blood and a lot of pain. We thought it was ok, dentist said it looked fine, but I recently noticed it is sort of discolored grayish in some lights. We haven't even done the braces yet (only the expander). Now I have an additional potentially expensive dental bill.

A mouth guard is in her future for acro dance at least, if she played any sort of sport she'd be wearing it for them as well.

[marcyiam]

He has worn if for:
- Lacrosse (required even without)
- Wrestling


Has not worn for:
- Cross country
- Track

[mrsukyankee]

I did when I had braces and playing sport - not for hockey (as I was the goalie, so had a mask), yes for basketball because elbows and no for softball (as I was catcher and wearing a mask and didn't need it when batting).

[bittybomb]

My daughter recently got her braces off but while she had them she played soccer (her main sport), lacrosse, basketball, softball, volleyball and she swam. She only wore a mouth guard for lacrosse because it was required braces or not. She also pitches for softball so wears a face mask on the infield but also not because of braces.

[styme46]

My kid plays football, basketball, and wrestles. He'll wear his mouth guard for football and wrestling.

[glitzy07]

My son just got braces, but he will wear a mouthguard for all of his sports. That said, all of his sports are contact sports so I don't know that it's helpful for this scenario. Hockey and lacrosse here and both require it at all times whether there are braces or not.

[definitelyO]

I said "no" - but DS played tennis - so not even close to a contact sport. I think if he were playing basketball, football, lacrosse, etc... I would want him to wear one.

[minniemouse]

Dd wears one for lacrosse. It’s required for all players. She does not wear one for figure skating or cross country.
The only sport I did when I had braces was gymnastics, and did not wear a mouth guard.

[osulori]

Kid #1 did not wear one for soccer, baseball, and basketball. I tried but he couldn't get one to fit his mouth in a way that didn't completely bug him. He did wear one for flag football (pre braces) but it was required by the league.

[ellipses84]

It’s a struggle. The only one I insist on is flag football, where they should be wearing mouth guards anyway. I could see basketball being important since it’s pretty easy to get elbowed in the face. There are lots of different styles so you might find one works better than others. My kids like the Shock Doctor kind you bite on a flat plate with bumps and a tab outside your lips, rather than the internal kind that mold around your upper teeth.

[mommyatty]

We make DD wear a mouth guard for sports where a mouth guard is required by the rules. Otherwise, we let her choose. 

[calmcosmo]

For my daughter - yes - but both of her sports require the mouth guard all the time (braces or not) - Field Hockey and Lacrosse.

For my son - mixed- Yes for lacrosse (required) and no for cross country and track.

As a former collegiate softball player who took a ball in the mouth when I had braces - I think for a sport where there is likelihood of contact with a ball or elbow (soccer, baseball, basketball) I would probably recommend wearing it.

[AdaraMarie]

Yes for field hockey because it is required. She tried to do it for soccer but it didn't stick. Her other sport is swimming, so not for that.

[JayhawkGirl]

Son round 1 braces (3rd/4th grade) he wore one at baseball. We had plenty of facial hits as they adjusted to kid pitch.

He didn’t wear one round 2 (7th/8th)

Dd didn’t wear one at soccer. Should have but didn’t.

[snapoutofit]

DS wore a mouthguard for wrestling. Not for baseball or skiing.

[bears]

MH is totally on board with having DD wear a mouth guard for soccer and volleyball. He thinks that the orthodontists' recommendation is law. DD said she'd rather quit than wear a mouth guard.

I am internally on the side of I never wore a mouth guard with my braces for soccer and never saw a kid wear one either so why should my kid? I think wearing it for volleyball is just absurd. I am trying to have this argument with my husband in a reasonable manner without getting my kid involved.

[snapoutofit]

Aug 27, 2024 13:07:08 GMT -5 bears said:

MH is totally on board with having DD wear a mouth guard for soccer and volleyball. He thinks that the orthodontists' recommendation is law. DD said she'd rather quit than wear a mouth guard.

I am internally on the side of I never wore a mouth guard with my braces for soccer and never saw a kid wear one either so why should my kid? I think wearing it for volleyball is just absurd. I am trying to have this argument with my husband in a reasonable manner without getting my kid involved.

I see what you’re saying g but…as a person who grew up in the 70’s and 80’s I didn’t ride in a car seat, didn’t wear a seatbelt, didn’t wear a bike helmet….and I turned out fine. I never wore braces and I didn’t play contact sports but I can’t imagine wanting to risk those things going through my lips. 🤷‍♂️. That said, I probably wouldn’t make my kid wear one for volleyball or soccer. I’m just saying, I don’t think that argument is the way.

[bears]

Aug 27, 2024 13:24:49 GMT -5 snapoutofit said:

Aug 27, 2024 13:07:08 GMT -5 bears said:

MH is totally on board with having DD wear a mouth guard for soccer and volleyball. He thinks that the orthodontists' recommendation is law. DD said she'd rather quit than wear a mouth guard.

I am internally on the side of I never wore a mouth guard with my braces for soccer and never saw a kid wear one either so why should my kid? I think wearing it for volleyball is just absurd. I am trying to have this argument with my husband in a reasonable manner without getting my kid involved.

I see what you’re saying g but…as a person who grew up in the 70’s and 80’s I didn’t ride in a car seat, didn’t wear a seatbelt, didn’t wear a bike helmet….and I turned out fine. I never wore braces and I didn’t play contact sports but I can’t imagine wanting to risk those things going through my lips. 🤷‍♂️. That said, I probably wouldn’t make my kid wear one for volleyball or soccer. I’m just saying, I don’t think that argument is the way.

Oh I definitely feel like a boomer with this argument! I'm not using it with MH, but I feel it in my bones.

[roxysoxy]

Aug 27, 2024 13:07:08 GMT -5 bears said:

MH is totally on board with having DD wear a mouth guard for soccer and volleyball. He thinks that the orthodontists' recommendation is law. DD said she'd rather quit than wear a mouth guard.

I am internally on the side of I never wore a mouth guard with my braces for soccer and never saw a kid wear one either so why should my kid? I think wearing it for volleyball is just absurd. I am trying to have this argument with my husband in a reasonable manner without getting my kid involved.

My kid played soccer, basketball, volleyball, and flag football when he had braces. He only wore a mouth guard for flag football because it's required for everyone. I think basketball is the one sport he played where he really should have been wearing a mouth guard. 

My son would have had the same reaction in saying he would rather quit than wear a mouth guard playing volleyball or soccer. He's 15 and has been playing competitive soccer for many years and I've also never seen a player wearing a mouth guard. I definitely wouldn't have thought it would be necessary to wear one playing volleyball. 

[sandandsea]

I had braces and never wore a mouth guard. I tried it for basketball after a few rough elbows to my face but it bothered me more than the cut lips so I just dealt with it and stopped using the mouth guard after a few weeks.