Sports Dentistry and Facial Injury Prevention

Sports Dentistry and Injury Prevention

·      In older children and adults, sports injuries are common. Dentists estimate that between 13% and 39% of dental injuries occur while playing sports.

·      About 80% of all dental injuries affect at least one of the front teeth. Damage to the tongue or cheek is common, too.

Basic Protection

·       Even if a tooth has been knocked out, it often can be saved if you get to a dentist quickly enough. Minor chips and cracks can be repaired. Dentists use tooth-colored materials that are nearly as strong as the original tooth. However, even "minor" injuries can cause serious and costly damage. Protecting yourself is vital.

Importance of Athletic Mouthwear

·       A mouth guard is a soft plastic or laminate device used in sports to prevent oral injuries to the teeth, mouth, cheeks, tongue and jaw. The American Dental Association projects that one third of all dental injuries are sports related.¹ The use of a mouth guard can prevent more than 200,000 oral injuries to the mouth each year.

Types of Dental Injuries

·       The types of dental injuries that can occur without the use of a mouth guard are chipped or broken teeth, fractured crowns or bridgework, lip and cheek injuries, root damage to the teeth, fractured jaws, and concussions. Any athlete may be at risk for oral injury and any injury can be prevented with the use of a mouth guard.

Who should wear one?

·       Mouth guards are mandatory in collision sports such as football, hockey and boxing where the risk of injury is likely.

·       Children and adults involved in incidental contact sports like basketball, baseball, softball, wrestling, soccer and volleyball may consider wearing a mouth guard to prevent injuries to the mouth.

Not Just for Athletes

·       Increases Strength

·       Increases Endurance

·       Reduces Stress

·       Custom-Fit Mouthwear prevents your teeth from clenching, pivots your jaw forward, and relieves pressure on the TMJ, excess stress, fatigue, and distraction are gone.

© Copyright 2009 Colgate-Palmolive Company

1 The North Carolina Dental Society Mouth Guard Project. Reviewed information at www.ncdental.org.
2 McNutt T, Shannon SW Jr, Wright, JT, Feinstein, RA. Oral Trauma in Adolescent Athletes: A Study of Mouth Protectors. Pediatr Dent 1989;11:209-13.