Back to school time is upon us! Is your child feverishly practicing their trombone or flute? (Or pretending they don’t know it’s collecting dust under the bed?) Or are they gearing up for football, baseball and soccer season?
We know that back to school is hectic but making time to visit your pediatric dentist now can prevent some big headaches once the school year is in full swing. Below are our quick tips for parents of rising sports stars and mini-musicians:
For Athletes: Mouth guards! Contact sport or not, these little devices are super important. While you can get these over the counter at sporting goods stores, there are a few reasons to visit your pediatric dentist instead:
Custom fit: We can ensure that the mouth guard your child or teen is wearing is custom to them, fits securely and is keeping their teeth safe. Additionally, if your child is in the middle of orthodontic treatment, you’re going to want to make sure that mouth guard is up to date with their treatment – no backward movement on that straightened smile!
Comfort: Those over the counter mouth guards are big! They can be cumbersome… and don’t get us started talking about tongue comfort! A custom fitted mouth guard from our office will give your kid’s tongue plenty of space and never make them feel like they’re choking on foam or rubber.
Options: There are several different options of mouth guards out there. Depending on what sport and your child’s specific needs, our team can help you choose the right one.
For Musicians: Budding violinists will have less of an issue here but wind and brass players need to take their dental health needs into account ahead of back-to-school.
Tell us! It’s important to tell us if your child plays an instrument with his or her mouth. We can help make sure their orthodontic appliance – whether Invisalign, traditional or lingual braces – doesn’t get in the way.
Bring your mouthpiece. Help us help you! Have your child bring their instrument (for the small ones) or just the mouthpiece (no need to bring your whole tuba to the office unless you want to perform… which we’d love, by the way!) and we can see exactly what needs to be accommodated at their braces fitting.
Proper playing technique. Make sure your child speaks to their music teacher or instructor about proper technique once their orthodontic treatment has started. Their teacher can guide them to make sure the music and tooth movement aren’t interfering with one other.
By taking a few small precautions and scheduling a visit to Humble Kids Dentistry you can avoid the dreaded call from school requesting you to drop everything and pick up your kiddo because of an orthodontic or dental emergency. Let us help set your mind at ease and keep your child’s teeth safe this back to school season.
PS: Accidents can still happen, so be sure to have us on speed dial (281) 688-1617 let us know exactly what’s going on when you call so that we can give you the best advice and fit your kiddo in quickly! For a list of common pediatric dental emergencies and what to do, click here.
And if all else fails, you can do this!
https://youtu.be/0mMTTXbdwT4
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Humble Kids Dentistry is a colorful, fun place to be, and is built specifically with children in mind. The open bay treatment areas, child-friendly themes and the parent-friendly atmosphere is designed to enhance your family’s dental visit. Our dental team is highly trained and experienced in caring for children. We strive to deliver fun, caring dental experiences to our patients and take pride in caring for our community by providing high quality, conveniently accessible, compassionate oral health care.
In partnership with Optimal Orthodontics of Humble, we combine new technology with a commitment to quality and patient comfort. Our goal is to provide the highest quality orthodontic treatment for all our patients, with a personal touch in a supportive and caring environment. We can’t wait to meet you!
