Mouth Guards Protect More than Teeth

JOHNSTON, Iowa – Most Iowa caregivers don’t know that wearing mouth guards while playing sports helps prevent the likelihood of a concussion, despite recommendations made by dental professionals.

That’s one key finding from a survey1 of Iowa children’s oral health, conducted on behalf of Delta Dental of Iowa – which is part of a national survey2 of American children’s oral health, conducted on behalf of Delta Dental Plans Association.

“Mouth guards do more than protect young athletes’ teeth. They can also help prevent concussions by acting as shock absorbers,” said Dr. Ed Schooley, DDS, dental director for Delta Dental of Iowa. “Studies show that concussions can cause serious, long-term consequences for athletes, and the majority of at-risk athletes are children.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 300,000 people suffer from sports-related concussions a year, with children and teens at the highest risk.

Although mouth guards are only mandatory for some youth sports, such as ice hockey, football and lacrosse, dental professionals recommend they be worn for all athletic activities where there is a strong potential for contact with other participants or hard surfaces.

Studies show that today’s basketball players are 15 times more likely to sustain an oral-facial injury than football players.3 Mouth injuries in football have actually dropped dramatically since mouth guards became mandatory.

According to the national survey of children’s oral health, more Americans report that their child wears a mouth guard for football than for any other sport. However, even in football – a sport requiring protective gear – only seven in 10 caregivers (70 percent) report that their child wears a mouth guard at both practice and games. According to Safe Kids USA, most organized sports-related injuries occur during practice rather than games.4

“Parents need to encourage their young athletes to get in the habit of wearing mouth guards whenever they participate in sports, whether it’s for practice or a game,” said Dr. Schooley.

There are three types of mouth guards currently available:

· Stock mouth guards are relatively inexpensive and have a pre-formed shape. But since the fit can’t be adjusted, they’re less effective than a fitted option.
· Mouth-formed mouth guards can be purchased at many sporting goods stores, and can be molded to the individual’s mouth, usually by boiling the mouth guard in hot water to soften the plastic.
· Custom-made mouth guards are considered the best option but are the most expensive. Since they are made by your dentist from a mold of your teeth, they fit tightly and correctly.

Still, if cost is a consideration, any mouth guard is better than none at all. For more information on mouth guards and protecting your smile, go to www.OralHealthIA.com.