Summer Sports and the Importance of Mouth Guards
Now that spring is here and summer is not far away, it’s time for our kids to shift into outdoor mode, with sports like soccer, baseball, field hockey, lacrosse, and rugby. Though each of those sports has required safety equipment, mouth guards are not always mandatory and usually left to the parents’ discretion.
According to DentalCare.ca more than 5 million teeth are damaged or lost each year; often during sports activities, resulting in nearly $500 million spent on replacing these teeth each year
Any activity that involves or has a risk of contact is one that can benefit from protecting the mouth. It is estimated that mouth guards prevent between 100,000 and 200,000 oral injuries per year in professional football alone. The Canadian Association of Orthodontists and The Canadian Dental Hygienists Association recommend mouth guards be used in both competitive and non-competitive sports.
Removable mouth guards protect the teeth, as well as the gums and jaw while playing contact or ball sports. Mouth guards have also been shown to reduce the effect of concussions by stabilizing the jaw during impact.
Protection of the teeth is especially important if a player is wearing braces or other orthodontic appliances. During treatment, we recommend pre-made mouth guards to allow for ongoing teeth movement. After braces are removed, we provide our patients with customized mouth guards as part of their treatment.
You can find out more about our mouth guard program on our website and we welcome you to book an appointment for a customized mouth guard fitting, even if your child isn’t currently in treatment.
We hope your families have a fun and active summer. Let’s work together to keep our kids and their smiles safe!