Most professional athletes wear a sports mouth guard. Almost as common as the sneakers a pro basketball player wears, many athletes get creative designs on them or colors that stand out. However, the color and design are not as important as the thickness and fit of the mouth guard. Dentists recommend sports mouth guards for several different contact, and even some non-contact sports. The benefits of wearing a mouth guard for sports span not only the entire sporting world but several different demographics. In fact, over $13 billion is spent on dental work annually that could've been prevented by a mouth guard. Amateur, recreational, and collegiate athletes are also either required or often opt for mouth guards as well to help protect their smiles. Let's take a look at the many benefits of wearing a mouth guard for sports.
WHAT ACTIVITIES REQUIRE SPORTS MOUTH GUARDS? If you participate in organized sports of any kind, there are often safety guidelines that you are required to follow. One of the most important ones for some sports includes a mouth guard. Here is a quick list of the sports that often or always require them.
Boxing
Combat Fighting
Martial Arts
Hockey
Football
Rugby
Lacrosse
There are also several sports in which dentists "recommend" the use of sports mouth guards. These include:
Basketball
Wrestling
Water polo
Soccer
Baseball
Softball
Skateboarding
Skiing
THE FUNCTION OF WEARING A SPORTS MOUTH GUARD In short, they help protect you from major dental and orofacial injuries that can lead to dental surgery. While everyone's mouths are unique, no one is likely to take a 98 mph fastball to the mouth and hope to keep all of their smiles. Even if you are not participating in high-level sporting activities, mouth guards are still important to your dental health. Youth athletes are particularly prone to dental injuries, for example. Since they haven't finished fine-tuning their motor skills, they are less coordinated on the playing field. People with prior dental surgery or cosmetic dentistry work are also at a higher risk of injuring themselves. For example, if you or your children have braces, they can do significant damage to their mouth if they sustain a sports-related (or really any) injury to that area of their face. Special mouth guards should be used in these cases. SPORTS MOUTH GUARDS PROTECT THE DENTAL HEALTH OF ACTIVE PEOPLE No matter the sport or the dental situation, wearing a sports mouth guard is a wise idea when you are participating in any activity in which there is a reasonable chance of an orofacial injury. In terms of cost, you get what you pay for. Many people make the mistake of buying cheap "boil and bite" mouth guards that offer minimal protection. If you are interested in a more form-fitting and higher quality sports mouth guard, give us a call at our Westmount Dental Clinic.
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