Dr Saba Farooq, Main Street Dental
Last week, I had a great time meeting with the Bacchus Marsh Football and Netball team. It was inspiring to see the community come together to support the club.
With the Australian Football season underway, a reminder about preventing dental injuries! I’ve already seen an emergency case of a broken front tooth that could have been avoided with a custom mouthguard.
This week, I want to highlight the importance of mouthguards for field sports.
Why Mouthguards Matter
All sports carry some risk, and mouthguards are a vital part of protecting yourself. Facial injuries in sports can be serious, causing concussions, broken teeth, and more. A custom-fitted mouthguard acts like a helmet for your teeth and jaw. It absorbs impact and distributes the force of a blow, significantly reducing the chance of serious injury.
Importance of Sports Mouth Guard
All sports have an element of risk, and as such, participants should take reasonable precautions to protect themselves from injury. Facial sports injuries can be especially threatening, resulting in concussion and broken teeth, among other things.
A sports mouthguard is a crucial piece of protective equipment for anyone participating in athletics, especially those involving contact or a risk of falling. It acts like a helmet for your teeth and jaw, absorbing impact and distributing the force of a blow to lessen the chance of serious injury.
Here are some of the important reasons why you should wear a customised sports mouthguard-
* Reduces the risk of broken teeth: A mouthguard cushions the teeth and jaw, preventing them from coming together and absorbing the impact of a blow. This can significantly reduce the risk of chipped, cracked, or even knocked-out teeth.
* Protects against soft tissue injuries: A mouthguard can also help prevent cuts, bruises, and lacerations to the lips, tongue, and cheeks.
* Reduces the risk of jaw injuries: The force of a blow to the face can injure the jaw joint or even cause it to fracture. A mouthguard helps to absorb some of this force and stabilise the jaw.
* Reduces the risk of concussion: Some studies have shown that mouthguards may also help to reduce the risk of concussion by absorbing some of the force of a blow to the head.
The Australian Dental Association recommends that all athletes wear a mouthguard, regardless of age or skill level, in sports that carry a risk of contact or falls. This includes sports such as AFL, netball, basketball, boxing, field hockey, football, gymnastics, handball, ice hockey, martial arts, racquetball, roller derby, rugby, soccer, squash, volleyball, water polo and wrestling.
Let’s keep our smiles healthy and safe on the field!
