Mouthguards: Protection for Players

Participating in sports can be good for your mental and physical state, but hard on your teeth. Without the proper gear, playing in sports, even on a casual basis, can be a painful, costly experience. In contact sports especially, teeth can be fractured or knocked out or they can die if a hard blow is sustained. However, if you wear a mouthguard, the risk of oral injury can be dramatically reduced.

Mouthguards, admittedly, are sometimes uncomfortable to wear (just like seatbelts are) but they do serve an important purpose. Without them, trauma to a tooth may lead to a root canal and porcelain crown or even to the loss of a tooth and bridge work. With them, an athlete is protected.

Mouthguards are made of rubber or plastics and generally cover the upper teeth and gums. They separate the biting surfaces of teeth and cushion the lips from the teeth. For the interested athlete, there are three types of mouthguards available.

Stock Mouth Protectors:

are bought over the counter and are not fitted to the individual. Therefore, they are often uncomfortable and frequently interfere with the athlete's breathing and speaking ability.

Mouth Formatted Protectors:

are prefabricated devices which can be molded directly over the athlete's teeth.

Custom Made Mouth Protectors:

are made in our office after we take a dental cast of the athlete's teeth. They are superior in protection and are generally the most comfortable of the three. We have several attractive colors to choose from.

When it comes to wearing mouthguards, many athletes-even professional ones-seem to have a "ho-hum" attitude. Perhaps they think, "It's not going to happen to me." But it does, with alarming frequency. Just look at the players on a professional basketball team. You'll notice that quite a few smiles are missing teeth.

Adequate dental protection is a must in contact sports. Because you're only given two sets of teeth and you've probably already lost one set, you need to do what you can to save your second set so that it will last the rest of your life!

Comments or questions? Want to get your personal copy of Word of Mouth? Complete the Family Dentistry Questionnaire or eMail Dr. Vera Stewart. We always appreciate patient feedback.

Last Updated: 11/99
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