Do you know what a mouth guard is? If you are active and playing sports games or you know someone who plays sports and other recreational activities, you might be aware of what a mouth guard is. If not, then let us tackle the discussion regarding the use of mouth guards in sports. Here at ToothMatters, we teach our patients important information that can help them maintain a healthy oral cavity.
Playing sports, specifically contact sports can put you at a higher risk of having injuries. Therefore, it is important that you protect yourself by using protective gear, such as mouth guards. In fact, an athlete is 60 times more likely to receive a teeth injury when not wearing any protection over their mouth.
A mouthguard is a soft plastic device used in sports to protect your oral cavity from trauma or injury. According to the American Dental Association, one-third of all dental injuries could be sports related. More than 200,000 oral injuries can be prevented each year if athletes use mouth guards when playing sports.
If an athlete fails to use mouth guards when actively playing contact sports such as football, boxing, and hockey, broken, fractured, chipped tooth and even tooth loss can happen. Wearing mouth guards can minimize the chance of getting a sports-related injury to the mouth and jaw.
Generally, mouth guards cover the upper teeth only, but your dentist can also make a mouth guard for your lower teeth. Your dentist knows the best mouth guard that can suit your sports need and fit your mouth perfectly.
If you have questions about mouth guard use for sports activities, don’t hesitate to visit or contact our dental office in Richmond Hill, Ontario.
-Dr. Gao