Protecting Your Smile During Sports
Your teeth make up the strongest substance in your body. However, they are not invincible. While we do our best to prevent tooth decay, gum disease and other oral health problems, you may have to take additional measures to protect your smile from injury if you are active.
Serious dental damage can occur from a mouth trauma during sports or adventure activities. At Laguna West Dental Care, we proudly provide custom mouthguards to prevent irreversible damage to your teeth.
The Benefits of a Professional Mouthguard
Do you have a child in sports? The American Dental Association estimates that over 2 million teeth are knocked out each year from sports related injuries. A mouthguard can not only prevent teeth from being chipped, broken or knocked out, but they also have the ability to lower the risk of youth concussion from reduced jaw impact.
While you can certainly buy a “boil-and-bite” mouthguard at the local sporting goods store, a custom mouthguard from your dentist provides significant advantages. A custom mouthguard is fabricated with top quality materials for maximum comfort and durability, and it is also made to fit precisely over every crevice and groove of your teeth. This allows you to breathe and speak naturally while wearing your mouthguard, which greatly increases the chances of young patients keeping it in their mouth during active play.
Athletic mouthguards from a dentist are made to last longer than over-the-counter options, and they only require a brief appointment so that your dentist can take an impression of your bite. It’s a small investment for big protection.
It may not be ideal to add another expense to your child’s equipment list this season. However, keep in mind that a mouthguard can save you from some of the costliest injuries in sports. According to the CDC, sports-related dental injuries account for more than 600,000 emergency room visits annually. The average sports dental injury is not usually just a one-time cost to fix. The National Library of Medicine estimates that the average cost to treat an avulsed tooth over a lifetime can be anywhere between $5,000 to $20,000!
Call Laguna West Dental Care in Elk Grove today and let us protect your athlete’s smile!