Accidents can happen during any physical activity. The pros of using a mouthguard during sports are that it can help limit the risk of mouth-related injuries to your lips, tongue, and soft tissues of your mouth. Mouthguards also help you avoid chipped or broken teeth, nerve damage to a tooth, or even tooth loss. Your mouth guard should be resilient, tear-resistant, and comfortable.
Your dentist can help balance between initial discomfort and a proper fit so the plastic doesn’t rub the cheeks or gums and cause irritation.
Mouthguards are recommended for acrobatics, basketball, bicycling, boxing, extreme sports activities, hockey, football, gymnastics, skating, lacrosse, martial arts, racquetball, rugby, skateboarding, skiing, soccer, softball, squash, volleyball, weight lifting, and wrestling, just to name a few. Have regular checkups and bring your mouthguard along so the dentist can make sure it’s in good condition and is a proper fit.
For more information visit www.cdha.ca and/or www.oda.com
