Athletes are particularly susceptible to dental trauma and injury. Hard contact to the mouth can dislodge teeth and even result in broken facial and jaw bones. According to the Academy of Sports Dentistry, all athletes in contact sports and even those in individual sports with a risk of dental trauma, such as rollerblading, should wear mouthguards to prevent oral injury.

For high school athletes in certain sports, including football, ice hockey, men’s lacrosse and field hockey, mouthguards are mandatory. Governing bodies for collegiate athletics may also have policies requiring mouthguards.  Adults who participate in recreational sports typically are able to choose whether to wear a mouthguard, and any concerned dentist would highly encourage them to do so.

When an athlete suffers an injury to a tooth, a root canal or some other extensive procedure may be necessary to save a damaged tooth, assuming that it can be saved at all. Mouthguards prevent injury by absorbing and dissipating forces from a strike to the teeth or jaws. The benefits of mouthguards are well-documented. In addition to protecting the teeth and jaws from injury, some research suggests that mouthguards can decrease the severity of concussions.

While over-the-counter mouthguard options are available, including stock or boil-and-bite guards, the best protection is offered by custom-designed mouthguards. Our downtown Denver dentist can take molds of your mouth and send those molds to a dental laboratory that will create a mouthguard that offers a close fit to your mouth’s structure. Even a boil-and-bite guard, which has a brief window for proper shaping, can’t offer the same secure fit presented by a custom-designed device.

Some athletes express reluctance about wearing mouthguards for a variety of reasons. Those individuals should re-consider. A well-fitted mouthguard is comfortable and does not interfere with breathing. When worn properly, mouthguards have no effect on performance, although many athletes cite that as a concern for not wearing them.

If you are an athlete who has not been wearing a mouthguard, visit your dentist soon to get fitted for one. It will help you protect your teeth, oral soft tissues and jaws and give you peace of mind.