Protecting Our Local Athletes

If you have a child playing contact sports and you are not insisting that they wear a mouthguard, you may want to reconsider. It is estimated that more than 200,000 oral injuries can by prevented each year just by wearing protective mouth gear when participating in practice or a game. Furthermore, The National Youth Sports Foundation for Safety reports that an athlete is 60 times more likely to sustain damage to their teeth when not wearing mouth gear.

Wearing a mouthguard can prevent tooth damage, jaw injury and soft tissue lacerations to the gums, lips and cheek. They have also been shown to protect against concussions. Now that you are convinced to invest in a mouthguard for your young athlete, it is important to know the benefits of a custom mouthguard from your dentist versus one that you can buy at the drug store

Custom-made guards are more effective, fit better, and more comfortable to wear than stock guards. And let’s face it – if it fits comfortably, then your child will be much more likely to actually keep it in during sports play. It takes a simple impression appointment and the mouthguard can be fabricated to fit precisely for your child’s smile. Considering its protective powers, this is one of the best forms of dental insurance a parent can buy

Pleasant Plains Dental is doing our part to ensure our local athletes are protected. We served nearly 70 football players at our recent Free Mouthguard event for Porter Ridge High School. Players came to our office for an impression to receive their very own custom-made sports mouthguard. Our office provided this service free of charge, as a service to the community and to give our young sports players the highest level of protection.

Posted on behalf of Dr. Henry J. Ernst, Pleasant Plains Dental