3 Reasons You Need to Wear a Mouthguard When Playing Sports
If you participate in a sport without using a mouthguard, it’s only a matter of time before you incur a dental injury. About 40 percent of all dental injuries are sports-related. Every year, mouthguards prevent thousands of mouth injuries to teeth, jaw, and surrounding tissues.
If you don’t want to seek local cosmetic services to fix a mouth injury, consider getting a mouthguard. Here are the benefits of wearing a mouthguard and encouraging your child to do so during athletic activity.
1. Protect Your Teeth
Wearing a mouthguard does more than prevent chipped teeth and emergency dental visits. Proper oral protection prevents root fractures, which are breaks in the underlying foundation of teeth. Mouthguards also help prevent crown fractures, which involve injury to the whole tooth, pulp, and supportive soft tissues.
Don’t think that you don’t need a mouthguard if you or your child play a non-contact sport like cycling or running. Anytime you engage in athletics, damage to the mouth area is always possible.
2. Save Money
You’ve likely heard the phrase, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Therefore, would you rather spend $15 now on a mouthguard or thousands of dollars in dental work later? Wearing a mouthguard can help protect teeth and braces and cushion blows to the face.
3. Show Team Spirit and Make a Fashion Statement
Who said you have to look like a geek when wearing a mouthguard? Today’s mouthguards are custom-made to fit your teeth. You can even get them in your team’s colors. Wearing a mouthguard can be another way to show school spirit or express your individuality.
Choosing the Right Mouthguard
Different mouthguards vary in terms of preferences and sports activities. The American Dental Association (ASA) claims that the best type is one that a dentist customizes for your mouth and teeth. The most common options include the following:
- Custom-made: These are typically more expensive than other kinds because they come from a mold your dentist makes of your mouth.
- Boil and bite: You can buy this at a drug or sporting goods store. You soften it by placing it in boiling water, then put it in your mouth and shape it to the contours of your teeth.
- Standard: The least expensive type, this mouthguard is ready to wear but may not be as comfortable.
Mouthguards from a Dentist’s Office Near Me
Wearing a mouthguard is just one of several ways to protect your teeth and prevent mouth injury. At Beckham Square Family Dental, we can fit a custom mouthguard for each member of your family. Contact us today to schedule your fitting. We’re also available for preventive, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry, all without leaving town!
