ATHLETIC
Mouthguards
Today most adults recognize that leading a healthy, active lifestyle is a big plus. Moderate exercise has been shown to help lower blood pressure, keep cholesterol levels under control, and even reduce feelings of anxiety or depression. Kids who take part in athletic activities — whether they're playing on organized sports teams, bicycling, or just kicking a ball around — gain a host of well-documented health benefits. Yet inevitably, along with all the fun, the sense of achievement, and the character-building features of athletics, the possibility of injury exists. Therefore, it makes sense to learn about the risks involved, and to take appropriate precautions.
Among all the dental injuries we treat in children, it is estimated that over 25% are sports-related, and the majority of these involve the top front teeth. Baseball, bicycling, handball, skiing, surfing and equestrian sports — plus some two dozen others — are activities that the American Dental Association (ADA) has identified as potential causes of dental injury in adults.
Don't get us wrong: There's no question that the benefits of physical activity far outweigh the possibility of being hurt. But when serious dental injury occurs, it can result in pain, time taken away from school and work, and high treatment costs — which often aren't covered by insurance. If you had a piece of equipment, endorsed by the ADA, which could reduce the risk of sports-related dental injury significantly… would you use it?
Athletic Mouthguards are Indispensable Gear
A high-quality, custom-made mouthguard should be part of every athlete's equipment. What's a mouthguard? It's a small protective device that fits over your teeth and absorbs the force of an impact, helping to protect the mouth from damage.
To help you keep your smile for a lifetime, Dr. Paige Woods proudly offers athletic mouth guards at Brighton Dental San Diego. If you want to meet with our dentist and learn more about the benefits of sports mouth guards in San Diego, CA, please call 619.373.0678 today! We look forward to hearing from you!
Our dentist and team are dedicated to keeping your smile healthy and free from pain. To help us do this, we provide several types of mouth guards at our office. For our athletic patients, we often recommend a type of mouth guard called an athletic mouth guard or sports guard. Sports guards fit over your teeth while you play sports and participate in other athletic activities to protect your smile from injury. Sports guards are especially important for our patients who play high-contact sports such as wrestling, football, hockey and rugby; however, all types of athletes can benefit from an athletic mouth guard. Whether you play soccer, basketball or baseball, a sports guard can be a great way to protect your smile and keep it safe.
While a number of types of athletic mouth guards are available, a custom-made mouth guard is the most effective in protecting your smile. This type of mouth guard is designed to comfortably fit your smile and prevent dental injury such as knocked out and chipped teeth. A sports guard can also help to prevent injury to the soft tissues of the mouth, including the tongue, lips, cheeks and gums.
We invite you to contact our office today to learn more about mouth guards and their benefits. We look forward to caring for your smile!
Prevention of Dental Injuries
Dental injuries are easily prevented. It has been suggested that a properly fitted custom mouth guard may reduce the rate of concussion as well as dental injuries.
Some experts recommend that mouth guards be worn by athletes in competitive and recreational sports in which impact, contact and collision are likely to occur. The American Dental Association recommends wearing custom mouth guards for the following sports: acrobats, basketball, boxing, field hockey, football, gymnastics, handball, ice hockey, lacrosse, martial arts, racquetball, roller hockey, rugby, shot putting, skateboarding, skiing, skydiving, soccer, squash, surfing, volleyball, water polo, weightlifting, and wrestling. Other experts include baseball and softball infielders on that list. They further recommend the mouth guard to be worn during all practices and competition.
Quality Sports Guards
Over the last 30 years, sports guards have been highly encouraged by the American Dental Association for protecting your teeth while playing a sport. Athletic dental injuries can be life-altering. Patients who are active in sports whether soccer, hockey, gymnastics, basketball, etc. are encouraged to wear to a suitable mouth guard. As with other dental health, prevention is critical when maintaining proper care of a patient’s teeth and gums.
Assisting patients with protecting their teeth and reassuring their long-term dental health is a vital part of our practice. If you are interested in learning more about night or sports guards, please call our office to schedule a consultation to determine how we can help you protect your teeth. Sports guards are also very beneficial to prevent young adults from injuries during physical activities.
