Sports guard for head injury and teeth protection
Most people understand the importance of wearing a sports guard for hockey and football but many do not realize the importance that they play in protecting both the teeth and the head from injuries in all different sports activities. Basketball, volleyball, soccer, lacrosse, hockey, football, cycling, you name it, are all sports where individuals should wear a sports guard. There are so many ways to get injured while playing sports. Falls, kicks, accidental hits and sports balls in the face. By wearing a custom fit sports guard you are protecting your teeth and gums from severe damage as a result of one of these accidents.
The Teeth
Many youth play on sports teams while in high-school. By becoming compliant with wearing a sports guard you are protecting those pearly whites for many years to come. Working in a dental practice we are always sad to see youth come into the office with a facial/tooth injury. In most cases this is a preventable injury! Sometimes the dentist can fix the broken teeth and other times the tooth or teeth are so damaged that it requires a root canal and crown or even a full extraction. It is our goal as a team to help individuals keep their natural teeth for their whole lives! Wearing a custom made sports guard can help you to do this.
The Head
Current research shows that wearing a sports guard reduces the risk of concussion and head injury. When the athlete falls or gets hit the sports guard is able to absorb some of the impact from the teeth making a forceful contact. This is what helps to reduce risk of concussions (Winters and DeMont, 2014).
Custom vs. Boil and Bite
If you have always used a boil and bite guard and never tried a custom sports guard than you won’t realize how much more comfortable and what a better fit you get with a custom guard. They are individually made to fit your own mouth. Because everybody’s mouth is different it is always best to have protection for your own specific teeth and mouth. Just like you wouldn’t wear improper fitted helmet the same goes for sport guard.
A peer reviewed research article printed in General Dentistry even came to the conclusion that the risk of head injuries was higher when an individual wore a boil and bite guard versus a custom fit sports guard. (Winters and DeMont, 2014).
Most individuals playing sports are purchasing equipment to participate in the game. Why not invest in protecting your teeth? It is much more comfortable and affordable to buy a custom fit sports guard than it is to repair or replace broken and missing teeth.
How much does a custom sports guard cost?
A custom sports guard costs $130.00 but we always offer it at a discounted rate of $50.00. Repairing teeth or damage to the gums is much more expensive. And protecting your kids and yourself from a head injury is priceless.
Call our office at (905) 634-3665. We can set up an appointment to take impressions and you can choose the colour of your new sports guard.
Sources:
Winters, J., DeMont, R., Role of mouthguards in reducing mild traumatic brain injury/concussion incidence in high school football athletes.General Dentistry.2014 May/Jun; 62(3):34.
Daneshvae, M.A., Baugh, C.M, Nowinski, C.J., McKee, A.C, Stern, R.A., Cantu, R.C. Helmets and Mouth Guards: The Role of Personal Equipment in Preventing Sport-Related Concussions. Clinical Sports Medicine. 2011. Jan; 30(1): 145-163
https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/conditions/dental-emergencies-and-sports-safety/what-are-sports-mouth-guards