As the weather gets warmer in the Midwest, spring sports are in full swing with athletes on the fields playing ball. Now is the time to remember that mouth guards are an essential piece of athletic gear that can help prevent serious, painful facial injuries that affect the mouth and teeth. Are you up to date on the facts? See if you can answer the following questions:

At what ages are children most vulnerable to sports-related mouth injuries?

Answer: ages 7 – 11

What is the number of times that athletes are more likely to suffer harm to the teeth if they are NOT wearing a mouth guard?

Answer: 60 times more likely

How many types of mouth guards are available?

Answer: There are 3 types:

  1. Custom-filled which are made for an individual by a dental professional
  2. Stock mouth guards which are pre-formed
  3. Boil & bite mouth guards which are softened in boiling water and inserted to form to the shape of the mouth.

Which sports should encourage the use of a mouth guard?

Answer: ALL SPORTS. Some sports, such as football, are high contact and at more risk for mouth injury. However, many dental injuries can occur from other non-contact sports such as gymnastics or skating. It is an easy solution to wear a mouth guard and protect your valuable teeth!

These facts are supported by five of the nation’s top dental associations:

American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons: http://www.MyOMS.org
American Association of Orthodontists: http://www.mylifemysmile.org
American Dental Association: http://www.mouthhealthy.org
Academy for Sports Dentistry: http://www.academyforsportsdentistry.org
American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry: http://www.aapd.org

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