Sports are popular among men and women of all ages, not just youth athletes. Now that we are entering a new school season, we expect to see a surge in dental emergencies related to oral injuries on the field, court, or other sports venue. The likelihood of any sports-related injury does not inhibit most people’s desire to play. What is important to know is that this likelihood is somewhat within each player’s control.
Protective gear is meant to reduce the risk of sports-related injuries. The question to ask is whether or not the equipment provided is adequate for this goal. Often, commercial mouthguards simply don’t live up to the best standards. You want to know this because . . .
- The highest percentage of teen dental injuries occur during sporting activities.
- Each year, approximately 5 million teeth are injured or knocked out.
- More than 600,000 of the emergency room visits that take place each year involve an oral injury or broken teeth.
- It is estimated that almost 40% of dental injuries are sports-related.
- There are 3 times more dental and facial injuries attributed to sports than are to auto accidents.
- It has been estimated that almost half of all young people will experience a dental injury before college.
These are good enough reasons to consider wearing a custom-fit mouthguard. But there’s more. Statistics also suggest that:
- Mouthguards prevent an estimated 200,000 facial and tooth injuries each year.
- Injuries to the top front teeth are significantly decreased when a custom mouthguard is worn.
- The risk of tooth injury is 60-times LESS when a mouthguard is worn.
The key to injury prevention is consistency in wearing protective gear. In many cases, athletes report forgetting to insert mouthguards, or choosing not to wear them. Why would they do this? Often, it is because the oral appliance is bulky and uncomfortable. Athletes need an oxygen uptake for performance and safety. If a mouthguard prevents heavy breathing, it is not going to be worn. We see this time and time again, even in professional athletes at a high risk for injury.
Seeing the need for a custom-fit product at an affordable price point, Dr. Frey developed The ZONE™ Mouthguard, which can be made right on the field! Learn more about this innovative development at 310-276-4537, or pick up yours at a local Dick’s Sporting Goods.
