More Than a Mouthguard: Why Supporting Cambridge Athletes Is One of My Favorite Traditions

Every August, as football season approaches, one of my favorite traditions begins.

Our team welcomes the Cambridge Bluejays into the office for custom mouthguard fittings before the first game of the season. There’s always plenty of laughter and excitement for what’s ahead. For years, it’s been an honor to donate these custom mouthguards to our local high school football team as one small way to give back to a community that has supported us for so many years.

One of the things I love most about practicing in Cambridge is the relationships we build with families over the years. Some of the athletes who come in for their custom mouthguards first sat in my dental chair when they were losing baby teeth. Now they’re in high school getting ready for another football season. Watching those milestones — and helping protect them while they do what they love — is one of the greatest joys of being a community dentist.

Most people think a mouthguard is simply there to protect teeth. While that’s true, a properly fitted custom mouthguard is designed to help protect your child’s teeth, gums, lips, cheeks, and jaw during sports. It also provides a level of comfort and fit that over-the-counter options simply can’t match.

Why Mouthguards Matter

Sports-related dental injuries happen every season.

A hit to the face can result in:

Broken or chipped teeth
Knocked-out teeth
Cuts to the lips and cheeks
Jaw injuries
Emergency dental treatment

Whether your child is playing football or participating in another contact sport, a properly fitted mouthguard is one of the easiest ways to help protect their smile and avoid injuries that can require extensive dental treatment.

Not All Mouthguards Are Created Equal

Parents often pick up a boil-and-bite mouthguard at the sporting goods store because they’re inexpensive and convenient.

While they’re certainly better than wearing nothing, they aren’t designed specifically for your child’s mouth.

A custom mouthguard is created from an impression of your child’s teeth, allowing it to:

Fit comfortably without constant adjusting
Stay securely in place during play
Make breathing and speaking easier
Provide more consistent protection
Be more comfortable, making athletes more likely to wear it throughout practices and games

The best mouthguard is the one your child will actually wear. When a mouthguard fits well and feels comfortable, athletes are much more likely to keep it in when it matters most.

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What We Know About Custom Mouthguards

Protecting teeth has always been the primary reason dentists recommend mouthguards. A custom mouthguard is made specifically for your child’s smile, providing a secure, comfortable fit that helps protect against broken teeth, injuries to the lips and cheeks, and trauma to the jaw during sports.

You may have seen articles discussing whether custom mouthguards can also help reduce the risk of sports-related concussions. Researchers continue to study this question, and while some findings have been encouraging, the science is still evolving. More research is needed before any definitive conclusions can be made.

What we do know is that custom mouthguards are the gold standard for protecting your child’s smile during contact sports. Because they’re made specifically for your child’s unique bite, they’re more comfortable, stay in place better, and are easier to wear throughout practices and games.

That’s why I continue to recommend custom mouthguards for athletes participating in contact and collision sports. My goal is simple: to help young athletes stay safe, protect their smiles, and enjoy the sports they love.

Who Should Wear a Custom Mouthguard?

Football is the obvious answer, but it’s certainly not the only sport where a mouthguard is important. I recommend custom mouthguards for athletes participating in:

Football
Hockey
Wrestling
Basketball
Soccer
Lacrosse
Rugby
Martial arts
Baseball and softball (especially catchers and infield positions)

Any sport where collisions, falls, or contact can happen carries some risk of dental injury.

A Tradition I’m Proud to Continue

Every season, I look forward to seeing our Cambridge athletes in the office before their first game. It’s one of my favorite ways to support our local schools while helping young athletes protect their smiles throughout the season.

Whether your child plays for Cambridge or another community team, my goal is the same: to help them enjoy the sport they love while protecting their smile.

Ready for Fall Sports?

If your child is participating in contact or collision sports this season, now is the perfect time to schedule a custom mouthguard fitting.

A custom mouthguard is comfortable, durable, and designed specifically for your child’s smile, giving them protection they’ll actually want to wear.

Call Cambridge Family Dental at (608) 423-6784 to schedule your custom mouthguard fitting before the season begins.

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Dr. Angela Bauer Williams

Hello! I’m Dr. Angela Bauer, and I would like to welcome you to my dental practice in beautiful Cambridge, Wisconsin. The most important part of my practice is taking care of my patients in a compassionate and honorable way. I will treat you like I treat my own family and friends, with utmost honesty and your best interests at heart at all times. Because my practice is a locally-owned small business and not a corporation, we can focus on doing the right thing for our patients. We only hire the best people and use the best materials for our patients to ensure healthy, long-lasting, and beautiful treatment. My practice is designed with your comfort in mind, from the inviting waiting room upon entry to the relaxing view with gorgeous landscaping and wildlife from our treatment rooms. We even have blankets and headphones for your comfort.

I utilize only the most modern and proven techniques and materials in treatment. That way, my patients get all the benefits of the best care possible. We have all the latest technologies, including digital scanners for optimal results, digital x-rays for precision, and even intraoral cameras to take pictures of teeth. That way, if you do need treatment, we can show you exactly why, so there is no uncertainty.

I have been in practice for over 20 years, and during that time I have strived to be the best dentist possible for my patients. In 2017 I was honored with a Fellowship Award from the Academy of General Dentistry. Just this year, the same Academy awarded me with a Mastership, which only two percent of practicing dentists currently hold. That is my practice! I am Dr. Angela Bauer, and I invite you to come and see why we are different.

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