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Need advice on sports equipment for your kids? Ask your dentist.
It is estimated by the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation that sports-related injuries will result in the loss of about 5 million teeth for U.S. youth this year. However, dentists see many oral and facial injuries in athletes that could have been prevented.
"Mouthguards are one of the most effective pieces of protective equipment in sports," says Dr. Scott Navarro, dental director, Delta Dental of New Jersey.
In fact, according to the Academy of General Dentistry, more than 200,000 oral injuries are prevented each year by athletes using mouthguards. Without protection, it's estimated that athletes' teeth are 60 times more susceptible to damage.
Mouthguards can range anywhere from $5 to $300 - a bargain when you consider the rehabilitation costs for a single knocked-out tooth.
There are three basic types of mouth protection available. They include stock or ready-to-wear mouthguards, boil-and-bite mouthguards, and custom-made mouthguards.
Stock mouthguards are purchased off-the-shelf and are used without any modifications or forming to the mouth. Boil-and-bite mouthguards are also purchased off-the-shelf; however, they are then heated and placed in the mouth before use in order for them to form to the teeth and mouth. Custom-made mouthguards are created from molds taken of athletes' teeth. Any dentist can provide more information about custom-made and other types of mouthguards.
"Custom-made mouthguards provide the highest degree of comfort, protection and durability, but even the lowest-end mouthguard is better than nothing," said Dr. Navarro. |
