Protect your smile with a fitted mouthguard!

We would like to share a little insight into why anyone who plays sport (not just contact sports) should wear a mouthguard.

Have a think about it. Broken bones, sprains or torn muscles heal with time and rest but you can’t re-grow missing or damaged teeth. Wearing a mouthguard can be the difference between a healthy smile and a lifetime of dental complications.

Mouthguards come in a range of types such as boil and bite, over the counter and fitted (by your Dentist). Any is better than no protection for your teeth, however, there are some nasty images of dental trauma in cyber space as a result of ill fitting mouthguards. Don’t believe me? Just google it!

Dental injuries that occur as a result of not wearing a custom fitted mouthguard can be painful, disfiguring and quite expensive to treat. Not all dental trauma happens on the sporting field. In fact, it is estimated that 44% of dental injuries occur as a result of accidents that happen while participating in leisure activities such as in swimming pools, riding skateboards and even in kids playgrounds. The most common dental trauma we see in our surgery include:

• Lacerations to cheeks, gums, lips or tongue
• Chipped teeth
• Broken teeth
• Knocked out teeth
• Broken jaw

As well as the initial burdence, treatment for such injuries can be a lengthy process, meaning time off work or school. Think about how much you or your child love seeing us as it is let alone enduring multiple trips to the Dentist! Don’t get me wrong we love seeing you and your family but prevention is the key.
So, while it may be a little more expensive to purchase a custom fitted mouthguard, ultimately this cost is far less than the price tag associated with an injury to your teeth or jaw.