Straight Talk                                          

                          by Dr. Mark H. Kaley

Cumbersome.  Awkward.  Obstructive.  That’s how many people have described mouth guards.  But I would like to add one more word – essential.  In terms of taking care of your teeth and preventing serious injury, a mouth guard is one of the most important parts of your sports equipment.

Injuries to the face and oral cavity are very common in sports.  According to recent surveys, nearly 5 million teeth are knocked out each year during sports activities and athletes in contact sports have better than a 50% chance of sustaining a significant oral-facial injury during their high school careers.  Getting hit in the mouth by a ball, a stick, a bat, or another player can result in lost or broken teeth, broken facial bones, or concussions.  Players wearing braces can suffer painful cuts to their lips and cheeks if trapped between an elbow and the brackets. Fortunately, mouth guards can significantly reduce the risk and severity of these injuries.  Once mouth guards and facemasks began to be used in football, the percentage of players’ injuries that were oral-facial in nature went from 50% to less than 1%.  Surprisingly, the sport with the most collisions, hockey, had the fewest dental injuries in a recent comparison with other collision sports.  This has been attributed to a greater than 90% use of mouth guards in hockey.  Studies have also indicated that the risk of a concussion can potentially be decreased when mouth guards are used.  To say that mouth guards are important is an understatement! The three main designs of mouth guards are the stock, the “boil and bite,” and the custom-made guard.  Stock mouth guards are cheap, but do not fit very well and tend to be uncomfortable.  “Boil and bite” guards are also inexpensive, but have the advantage that they can be molded to fit your teeth, therefore staying in place better during games or practice.  Custom-made mouth guards are designed by your dentist and are the closest-fitting guards available, but tend to be more expensive.  In our practice, we recommend the “boil and bite” guards since they can be modified for a better fit as your teeth move with the braces.  Regardless of the style you choose, if you are at risk for any type of collision in practice or games, a mouth guard is vital to your well-being.

So, make sure that when you pack your equipment bag for the field or court, throw in your mouth guard!  It just might save your teeth!