Oral Safety in Sports

1. Oral Safety in Sports

2. Baseball Basketball Bicycling Boxing Equestrian Events Field Hockey Football Gymnastics Handball Inline Skating Lacrosse Martial Arts Rugby And hockey. . . The American Dental Association recommends mouthguards for: • Shotputting • Racquetball • Skateboarding • Skiing • Soccer • Softball • Volleyball • Water Polo • Weightlifting • Wrestling

3. What three sports cause the most dental injuries?

4. It’s estimated that over 5 million teeth are damaged or lost each year in sports. An athlete has a 33% chance of sustaining a dental injury in sports. 80% of tooth injuries are to the maxillary central incisors – two front teeth. Some Stats . . . Photo courtesy T.P. Croll, D.D.S.

5. Rugby becoming more popular

6. Skateboarding

7. Cheerleading

8. What’s the cost of a tooth? These are average one- time costs. All crown and bridge work eventually needs to be replaced. Does not include repair of injuries to tongue, cheeks, gums, bone, or plastic surgery.

9. Not to mention . . . • Pain • Emotional stress • Other orofacial injuries to lips, cheeks, gums, broken jaws, etc • And, the issue confronting all athletes, parents and coaches --

10. Concussion! There is emerging evidence that a properly fitting mouthguard, by enlarging the separation between the jaw and skull, can help prevent and/or alleviate concussion.

11. Ready – made? One-size-fits-all, cannot be adjusted Bulky and rubs Mouth must be closed to hold it in place Boil and Bite? Take it home, boil it on the stove, bite into it Hard to fit Gets thin on the biting surfaces of the teeth where cushioning is needed most So, you need a mouthguard --

12. Or, the Custom-Made Mouthguard: • Made to fit the athlete • Mold is taken, model made of upper teeth • 4mm thick material molded over model

13. Custom-Made: Superior in: • Protection • Comfort • Oxygen uptake • Speech • And made by licensed professionals