Why We Think Young Athletes Need Protection - momsformouthguards.com
Years ago, people pooh-pawed the idea of helmets, jock straps, mouth guards, and body protection pads. Basically, the common belief was that the athlete was a sissy and if he wanted to participate in sports, he had to take the bad with the good. It was also believed that roughing-housing around in sports built moral fiber, good character, and personalities that could endure life's negatives. Medical studies then emerged, however, and proved that:
- falls off of bicycles caused irreparable brain damage;
- smacks to the head from hockey sticks caused permanent disabilities;
- and bones were broken needlessly from not wearing protective pads on shoulders, elbows and knees.
As a result, we moms, who wrote the content for this site, have a vested interest in helping our young child athletes to keep their original teeth and to prevent facial disfigurations.
Yes, moms tend to be overly protective of children, but, that is our duty. At the same time, it makes no sense to us that children and adults alike should deliberately, and without reason, subject their body parts to unnecessary harm. When seat belt wearing was made mandatory for vehicle occupants, everyone cried and hued the day. Now, people see the lives that have been saved by that law. Likewise, we want our children to enjoy what they are doing, but without the huge physical costs. They should be able to save their beautiful smiles until the day they die, not lose the smiles when they are young.
Recent events with professional hockey and football players have shown that the long-term effects of repetitive injuries and being constantly hit, have caused an incredible array of problems for the athletes down the road. In fact, so prevalent and troublesome the problems, that families are donating the dead athletes' brains in order for research to be conducted to determine the full extent of the damages from continual injuries. This only confirms in our minds the reasons why we think young athletes need protection, and the focus of this website is mouth guards. Thus, we are the Moms for Mouth Guards.
The first issue we have with sports players not wearing mouth guards is the fact that when a tooth is hit and broken, it is unbearably painful. And the younger, the person, the less tolerant the child is of pain. We do not believe it is humane to put children through this misery when there exists a product which can prevent many of these injuries. Further, we are not of the belief that violence, albeit many times accidental, grows worthy citizens. On the contrary, we feel that children become discouraged and eventually hate the sports in which they participate. We also see the reverse side where children become too aggressive, understanding that adults believe that enduring the hits and subsequent pain makes them better people. In the old days, boys were rewarded for that sort of behavior. A nice pat on the back. A way-to-go attitude. None of that is relevant today in our opinion.
Secondly, the expense associated with fixing injuries that could have been prevented by wearing a mouth guard is ridiculous. Broken teeth are going to require repairs. That means an emergency visit to the dentist and possibly specialists for more severe injuries. Many people do not have any form of dental insurance and sometimes, these types of injuries are not covered even if they have a modest policy. And, on top of the expense, the pain the child endures for repairs, treatments and more serious operations is traumatizing and preventable.
The third reason we fight hard for athletes to wear mouth guards is the fact that a smile is a precious possession. We only get one smile in our lifetimes, and we should protect that asset at costs. Having a mouth all stitched up, or permanently disfigured from being viciously banged makes no sense at all to us. Mouth guards not only prevent the injuries, but in other cases they reduce the severity of the injuries. Truth be told, we know that athletes are going to get hurt. We have to accept that fact to a certain point. We do not, however, have to accept such severe and life-changing injuries.
Finally, human bodies were not made to be punching boards. Yes, the body is tough and durable, and we do agree that some components of the body regenerate, but on the whole, bodies were not made for bashing about. We want everyone to understand that taking a chance with one's mouth and teeth is not macho. There is no shame in using a mouth guard. In fact, all sports organizations should require the use of mouthguards, or the athletes do not compete. It is that simple. Think of all the head injuries that were prevented when helmets were made mandatory. If mouth guards are required in order to play the game, the practice will become second nature. There will be no stigma attached to wearing mouth guards, since everyone is doing the same.
Moms for Mouth Guards is dedicated to ensuring that all young athletes are afforded the right to protection. It is not an issue of whether it is fashionable or not. We, as moms and adults, have the specific obligation to protect our children. The next time your son or daughter goes out to play any form of sports, please make sure that he or she is wearing a mouth guard.
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