Most injuries in the mouth, aside from tooth decay and cavities, happen during contact sports. While helmets, shoulder pads, knee caps, and other protective gear shields the body from injuries, mouthguards protect the teeth. At Hayes Family Dentistry, we provide mouth guards to protect the mouth both from sports and bruxism.

Unfolding the Myths about Mouthguards

Myth: Custom-fit mouthguard provides more protection than a simple boil and bite.

Different types of mouthguards are needed depending on the dental conditions and needs of the patient. There may be a higher level of comfort and a better fit when using a custom-fit mouthguard, but both guarantee protection to the teeth.

Myth: Mouthguard prevents concussions

Mouthguards help reduce dental injuries, evidence stating that mouthguards prevent concussions are still unavailable. Although mouthguards and helmets do not reduce concussions from occurring for they do not affect the movement of the brain within the skull, they are always helpful to athletes playing contact sports. Wearing mouthguards prevents dental injuries and traumas from happening.

Myth: The use of mouthguards is mandatory in all contact sports.

National Federation of State High School Association recommends that mouthguards be worn for high school football, lacrosse, ice hockey, and wrestling. Mouthguards are only recommended but are not mandatory to wear. The only sport that requires the use of a mouthguard is boxing.

Did you know…

• An athlete is 60 times less likely to damage their teeth when wearing a mouth guard. The trauma from contact sports is one of the many leading causes of tooth loss in people with the age of 35 years old and younger.
• 41 percent of parents think that it is more difficult to let a child wear a mouthguard than to persuade them to eat vegetables without complaining.
• Millions of teeth are knocked out every year because of sports injuries. Prevent this from happening; a mouthguard can be a small investment both for the parent and the child.
• Children who have their permanent tooth knocked out may face a lifetime of consequence.
• 58 percent of parents reported that their children suffered an injury in the mouth while playing sports and 65 percent said that their child was not wearing mouthguards.
• Bruxism can happen without the patient knowing it. If patients experience sore jaw when waking up or a headache which fades away as the day pass, it might be that they grind their teeth at night.
• Stress can cause teeth grinding. Throwing things, shouting, and other forms of aggressive behaviors, together with teeth grinding can be a way to cope with stress. Findings show that 70 percent of bruxism cases were relatively pinpointed to be caused by stress.

Playing contact sports or suffering from bruxism affects the health of the mouth. With the help of mouthguards, dental issues such as snoring, teeth grinding, or injured tooth can be prevented.

Source: Types of Mouth Guards to Protect Your Teeth (webmd.com)

Get added protection to your teeth with Mouthguards in Hayes, VA. Book your appointment with

Hayes Family Dentistry! We’ll make sure to provide and meet your dental care needs!