Playing sports is fun but can sometimes lead to injuries. This doesn't mean you have to stop playing. After all, you can keep your competitive edge and protect both your general and dental health for your best performance on and off the field, by taking some preventive measures and being adequately prepared for sports injuries that may come your way. Here are eight reasons to wear a mouthguard.
Consider these sports dentistry facts:
1) Dental injuries are the most common type of oral facial injuries sustained during participation in sports. The majority of these injuries are preventable.
2) An athlete is 60 times more likely to sustain damage to the teeth when not wearing a protective mouthguard.
3) Every athlete has about a 10% chance per season, or a 33-56% chance during an athletic career, to suffer an oral facial injury
4) Victims of sports related dental injuries can face lifetime costs of $10-15,000 per tooth, plus the hours spent in the dental chair, and the possible development of other dental problems.
5) Custom made mouthguards, formed by your dentist, offer the best possible fit and protection and are the most comfortable.
6) Custom made mouthguards reduce the chance of sustaining a concussion from a blow to the jaw. Repeated concussions have cumulative damage, resulting in increased severity and duration with each incident.
7) Stock mouthguards bought at sporting good stores are not sports specific, are not custom fitted, and provide a low level of protection, if any. These stock mouthguards are the least comfortable, bulky, and lack any retention. Stock mouthguards are held in place by biting down on them, which interferes with breathing and speech.
8) The American Dental Association recommends wearing custom mouthguards for the following sports: basketball, boxing, field hockey, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, martial arts, roller hockey, rugby, skateboarding, soccer, and wrestling.
