In the world of sports, athletes at all levels know how important it is to wear protective gear to prevent injuries. While helmets and protective padding remain essential, adding a sports mouthguard to your equipment can also go a long way in safeguarding your teeth.
Maintaining good oral health goes beyond regular brushing, flossing, and dental checkups. It also involves taking some simple steps to protect your teeth, jaws, and the soft tissues in and around your mouth from injury during sports.
With participation in organized and recreational sports on the rise, incidents of sports-related trauma have also increased. According to recent estimates from the American Dental Association, 10-20% of all sports-related injuries are maxillofacial injuries.
Despite these statistics, there's good news. Wearing an appropriate sports mouthguard can significantly reduce the risk of oral injury and the associated damage. The numbers speak for themselves. It's estimated that mouthguards prevent close to 200,000 oral injuries each year.
As designed to cushion and protect the teeth and surrounding tissues, a well-fitted mouthguard minimizes the chances a blow to the face will result in broken teeth and accompanying injuries to the lips, tongue, face, and jaw. It's also believed that a mouthguard may lessen the force of the impact transmitted to the brain.
Wearing a mouthguard provides a barrier against potential dental trauma in many recreational activities and sports. It's especially crucial for athletes in contact sports like football, rugby, hockey, boxing, martial arts, etc. A mouthguard also makes sense in sole athletic endeavors with a high risk of falling or getting hit with an object. Besides contact sports, the American Dental Association recommends skateboarders, skiers, gymnasts, shot-putters, skydivers, surfers, and weightlifters also wear mouthguards.
Today, various types of mouthguards are available, each offering a different level of protection. In all cases, it's wise to consult our office before selecting one. Stock mouthguards, which come pre-formed and ready to wear, provide a basic level of defense but often lack a snug fit. Boil-and-bite mouthguards offer a semi-custom fit by softening in hot water and then molding to the athlete's mouth. For the highest level of protection, please speak with our office about a custom mouthguard.
Our custom mouthguards are individually crafted based on the unique specifics of your smile. They offer a precise fit while providing optimal protection and shock absorption, allowing for easy breathing and speaking.
At Terre Haute, we value your trust and investment in protecting your teeth. For more information on sports mouthguards and how we can help you maintain a healthy, beautiful smile, call us today.
Our goal is to help every patient experience the benefits of good oral health and a beautiful smile. We value the trust you have placed in our office and strive to provide solutions that meet your dental needs and expectations of care.