Overlooked Essential Sports Equipment: Mouthguards

Nowadays, most parents make sure their kids have the right sports equipment, including protective pads for their shins, knees, elbows and shoulders. Sometimes overlooked is a correctly fitting mouthguard.

There are several types of mouthguards to choose from. Not all mouthguards, though, provide the same protection. If a mouthguard does not fit well, it may negatively affect your child’s sports performance, and possibly not do its job and prevent injury. A high-quality mouthguard costs a fraction of the price of repairing a lost or fractured tooth. When choosing a mouthguard for your athlete, consider the three tips below:

• Talking and breathing is critical. A proper mouthguard should stay in place when the athlete opens their mouth and participates in rigorous activity. It should also allow the athlete to breathe and speak without obstruction, while affording them the most protection possible.
• Thickness and retention are everything. The best mouthguards are pressure laminate mouthguards and cover the molar region with the recommended minimum of 3mm thickness over the biting service. The retention is also better than the other varieties. It has also been proven to be more effective in preventing dental trauma and concussions.
• Cheap may not better. Inexpensive, ready-made stock mouthguards and thermo-formed boil and bite mouthguards fabricated to fit a general population may lack the thickness and retention to prevent dental trauma and concussion. Call your dentist and ask for recommendations.

Also, teach you children to take care of their mouthguard like all their other sport equipment. Run it under cool water, brush it with a toothbrush occasionally, and store it in its case. Examine it regularly and replace when necessary – immediately when it has been bitten through.

Most importantly, a mouthguard is only effective if your child wears it! Talk to your child about the importance of wearing the mouthguard.

For more information on talking to your dentist about protecting your child on the field, please log on to www.appliancetherapygroup.com.

by Dan Allemeier, MBA, ATC, Sports Medicine Consultant with the Appliance Therapy Group