A fall or a trauma to the face while playing sports or games can sometimes be the reason for a severe injury. This is the reason why participants of games and sports are recommended to wear helmets and pads during the game. However, have you ever thought about how to save yourself from dental injuries while taking part in a game? Custom-made mouthguards can help you in this case.
At Radiant Dental Care, we recommend athletes wear mouthguards to lessen the risk of dental injuries while playing contact sports.Â
Mouthguards
A mouthguard is a custom-made athletic gear that is worn over the teeth and gums to protect your teeth, lips, gums, tongue, face, and jaw while playing contact sports. A well-fitted mouthguard can help decrease the severity of dental injuries.
Why Wear a Mouthguard?
Undoubtedly, one of the major reasons people get dental injuries is participation in contact sports. A knocked-out tooth, broken tooth, bleeding gums, etc., are some of the most common dental injuries people can suffer while engaging in sports and games. However, with the use of a well-fitted mouthguard, the majority of these dental injuries can be avoided.Â
Though players of sports and games like rugby, wrestling, boxing, and football are at higher risk of getting injured to the teeth, athletes of any sport can benefit from a sports mouthguard as even lower contact sports can also put one's teeth at risk of injury. If ever your teeth or mouth come into contact with a blow, a fast-flying bat, ball, etc., a mouthguard can help. Besides, a proper-fitted mouthguard can also help reduce the risk of concussion during a trauma.Â
The following facts from the National Youth Sports Foundation for Safety reinstate the need of wearing custom-made mouthguards during sports:
- The most common orofacial injury people can get during participation in sports is dental injury. Athletes participating in contact sport have an approximately 10% chance of an orofacial injury per season. This probability of getting injuries is almost 33-56% during their entire athletic career. However, a majority of them are preventable.
- If not wearing a mouthguard to protect their teeth, an athlete is 60 times more likely to have dental damage.Â
- A protective mouthguard can help you save costs in the long run - the cost of fixing a fractured or broken tooth is much more than the cost of getting a custom-made mouthguard.
- Various studies have concluded that wearing faceguards and mouthguards prevents almost 200,000 injuries in high school and college sports every year.
Though one may get stock mouthguards at sports stores, they provide only low protection compared to custom-fit mouthguards we get from a dental office. Besides, if the wearer of the stock mouthguard becomes unconscious, there is the risk of the mouthguard getting in the throat, causing airway obstruction.
Benefits of Mouthguards While Playing Sports
So, here is why it is important to get a customized mouthguard while participating in sports:
- Perfect fit, offering maximum comfort, protection, and effectiveness.
- Allows easier breathing while practicing heavy cardio sports.
- Saves the smile from serious dental injuries.
- Pads the gum tissues from injuries from dental braces.
- Reduce the risk of concussion.Â
- Offer long-lasting protection if properly taken care of.
Do you wish to improve your oral health and transform your smile? Visit us at Radiant Dental Care in Pasadena, or call us at (281) 991-6530 to schedule an appointment.
