Sports Injury Preventions
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Sports Injury Preventions 
Think mouth guards are for wimps?
Think again. Wearing a mouth guard can not only prevent major oral injuries such as tooth and jaw fractures, but has been shown to reduce concussive brain injuries.
Who should wear Mouth guards?
- All athletes in most sports
- In sports with heavy contact (i.e. football, hockey, basketball, lacrosse, basketball) a custom mouth guard should we worn at all times
- In other sports (i.e. field hockey, baseball, softball, soccer) a mouth guard is strongly recommended and even mandated in most organizations
Why should a mouth guard be worn?
- Injury prevention
- 36% of all injuries in children ages 5-17 are sports related and 80% of those injuries are to the upper front teeth
- Improved performance
What type of mouth guard should be worn?
- Stock mouth guards provide the least protection and do not prevent concussive brain injuries well
- “Boil-and-Bite” mouth guards are better and provide a semi-custom fit and are affordable
- Custom mouth guards made by a dentist are the best. They provide a custom fit and protect best against mouth and concussive injuries.
By: Jennifer Board D.M.D.
Dr. Board is with KidzSmile Dentistry. She can be contacted at (502)426-9594
