Wearing a mouthguard is an important precaution for athletes of all ages and abilities, helping to protect against chipped or broken teeth, root and bone damage, and tooth loss. Mouth guards also safeguard against serious injuries such as jaw fracture, cerebral hemorrhage, concussions, and neck injuries by helping to avoid situations where the lower jaw jams into the upper jaw. By keeping soft tissue in the oral cavity away from the teeth, mouth guards help prevent cutting and bruising of the lips, tongue and cheeks, especially for athletes who wear orthodontic appliances.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why People Don\u2019t Wear Mouth Guards<\/span><\/h2>\n

Since it is not mandatory for athletes \u2013 amateur or professional \u2013 to wear mouthguards, many do not because of fit, comfort, image (the notion that it\u2019s not \u201ccool\u201d to wear mouthguards) and complaints of impaired speaking. Not realizing the real safety value of mouth guards, some coaches do not reinforce the advantages of wearing them to their athletes, and neither do some parents, who are sometimes not fully aware of the level of contact and potential for serious dental injuries involved in their children\u2019s sports.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gender bias may also play a role, since there are people who mistakenly think that female athletes are less aggressive, less at-risk of injury and, therefore, less likely to need a mouth guard. Although mouth guards come in various price ranges, cost may be another consideration limiting their use, especially for custom-fitted mouthguards. The \u201chassle\u201d factor \u2013 remembering to wear them, properly caring for them and dealing with the inconvenience of impaired breathing or speech \u2013 also contributes to non-use.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A mouthguard (mouth protector) is a flexible custom-fitted device worn over teeth during athletic and recreational activities to protect them from damage. A good-fitting mouth guard may be especially important if you wear braces, have fixed anterior bridgework, or just want to protect your teeth\/smile from potential trauma. Mouthguards can buffer damage to the teeth, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":14931,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[59],"tags":[444,71],"class_list":["post-14930","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-oral-health","tag-dental-mouthguard","tag-oral-health"],"yoast_head":"\n