Mouth Guards: 4 Reason to Wear One During Sports

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While playing sports it is important to wear a mouth guard in order to decrease the risk of mouth or jaw injuries. The American Dental Association estimates that mouthguards prevent more than 200,000 injuries each year! There are over five million teeth avulsed each year due to absence of a mouthguard or even an improperly fabricated one!

To protect your child’s teeth, mouth guards are a necessary piece of equipment to make sure your child prevents any injury to their mouth or jaws! There is a reason to wear them and it is more than just protecting their teeth! Below are a few reasons for understanding the importance of a properly fitted mouth guard for your child.

Here are four reasons why you should always wear a mouth guard while playing sports.

MOUTH GUARDS:

1. Protect Against Jaw Fractures

Mouth guards can protect your jaw from fractures. It reduces the amount of shock to the jaw joint as the upper and lower jaw collide and cushions the blow.

2. Protect Against Tooth Loss

Mouth guards usually cover your upper teeth. They protect not only the mouth but gums, soft tissues and jaw as well. They work by redistributing the force of the impact.

3. Protect Against Tooth Fractures

Teeth can easily be chipped or broken while playing sports. By wearing a mouth guard, the American Dental Association reports that athletes who play sports with a mouth guard are 60 times less likely to damage their teeth than those who play without one.

4. Protect Against Soft Tissue Injuries

Biting through your tongue or lips is a common injury in many sports. Mouth guards can prevent soft tissue injuries by creating a soft resistance from teeth contacting your lips and tongue.

A properly fabricated mouth guard will protect your child’s teeth by covering them! Mouth guards will also absorb any blows to the anterior teeth.

If you’re ready to take the next step to protect your smile while playing sports, contact Anchorage Pediatric Dentistry at 907-562-1003 for more information about mouth guard protection. We love helping your child obtain a lifelong healthy and beautiful smile!

Dr. Easte Warnick DDS

Dr. Easte Warnick received a degree in Geology from the University of Nevada Las Vegas in 2001. After working as a geologist for Los Alamos National Laboratory and Bechtel SAIC, she returned to school and completed dental training at the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in 2012.

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