While most people associate youth injuries with
rambunctious boys, research indicates that oral injuries occur as frequently
in girls as they do in boys who participate in sports such as basketball and
soccer.
Young athletes who sustain damaged or dislodged
teeth, fractured jaws and lacerated lips frequently end up in dental offices
or hospital emergency rooms. Yet, many of these injuries are preventable if a
mouthguard is used. Mouthguards may also help prevent concussions, injuries to
the jaw joint, and neck injuries that result from a severe blow to the head.
Despite strong evidence that mouthguards reduce the
number of oral injuries in football, other sports such as soccer, baseball,
basketball and volleyball often do not require their use. Compliance with
mouth protection rules in women's sports has not kept pace with women's
increasing involvement in those sports.
Girls and women need to take responsibility to
protect themselves. Protecting your mouth is important whether you are
participating in an organized sport or just joining a volleyball game on the
beach. Many recreational activities can seriously harm the head, face or mouth
as a result of head-to-head contact, falls, teeth-clenching, or flying pieces
of equipment.
All young athletes, female and male, may wish to
visit their dentist's office to have a mouthguard custom-fitted to wear during
organized or casual sports.
Custom-fitted mouthguards are more comfortable than
ready-made mouth protectors or a mouth-formed thermoplastic "boil and
bite" protector from a sporting goods store. A custom fitted mouthguard
made by your dentist allows you to breathe and talk freely while playing.
