The participation of your kid in any kind of physical activity is a source of happiness and contentment as not only does it raise a sense of victory through hard work but also has a positive impact on their health.

Over the years the participation of adolescents and young individuals in sports has increased markedly. The gradual increase in sports participation has led to a rise in sports injuries. A major portion of these injuries is unintentional. According to the American Dental Association, an approx. of 10 % of these injuries are maxillofacial injuries.

Maxillofacial trauma is any physical trauma to the face. Dental injuries are reported as the most commonly encountered facial injury in sports. There are high chances that an athlete gets a dental injury when participating without a mouthguard. These injuries can result in serious damage to oral and dental tissues resulting in a medical emergency.

The mouthguards fabricated for athletes function to protect against severe injuries. Below mentioned are some of the benefits of a mouthguard:

1. Decreased chances of injury

It is reported that over 3 million kids get injured in sports every year.

Wearing a mouthguard along with other protective wearables can help prevent facial injuries thereby decreasing the cases.

2. Protection of soft tissues around teeth

A mouthguard is not just for protecting teeth but it prevents the soft tissues around teeth as well. Mouthguards function to bear the impact of the injury and prevent the force from getting transferred to teeth and the soft tissues around them which are the tongue lips, gums, and cheeks.

Types of MouthGuards

1. Stock Mouthguards: These are pre-fabricated and are ready to wear available at sports goods stores. These are inexpensive and easily accessible. Their adjustment to the perfect fit is not feasible and only little adjustments can be done. These are bulky and usually not recommended by dental practitioners.

• Boil and Bite Mouthguards: These are also easily available in the markets and are made up of thermoplastic material. The fit here is better as the mouth guard is placed in between the teeth after boiling it in hot water to adjust and provide a better fit.

•  Custom-made Mouthguards: In this type, the mouthguards are custom fabricated according to individual requirements. These are fabricated in the dental office of a lab. The fit here is better than the other two types. The cost here is more due to the quality of material and specialization involved.

Most of the time the mouthguards are designed to cover the teeth in the upper arch only. But these can be made to cover the teeth of your lower jaw too. Your dentist can guide you on the best choice of mouth guards.

Contact our emergency dentist in Dubai immediately if you experience any type of teeth injury.

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