Mouthguards

Mouthguards are critical for protecting the teeth from unneccessary injury during contact sports. Severe injuries can result in thousands of dollars in dental work- so why not prevent this occurence?

Benefits of mouthguards include:

-Preventing teeth from fracture

-Minimizing the chance of concussions- by preventing the jaw to fully close thereby not allowing the condyle (in the jaw joint) to press fully against the lower skull

-Preventing lacerations from teeth in the mouth and tissues from the sharp edges of the teeth

-Lessens risk of damage to the jaw as a mouthguard will absorb some of the impact from a blow

Custom mouthguards are much stronger and more comfortable than the typical boil-and-bite mouthguards. Also, they stay in place better and allow athletes to breathe better thereby enhancing their performance.

The American Dental Association recommends a mouthguard for:

Acrobats, basketball, boxing, field hockey, football, gymnastics, handball, ice hockey, lacrosse, martial arts, racquetball, roller hockey, rugby, shot putting, skateboarding, skiing, skydiving, soccer, squash, surfing, volleyball, water polo, weightlifting, and wrestling. Other experts include baseball and softball infielders on that list.

In many provinces in Canada mouthguards are mandatory when playing some sports.

For further detail, please visit:

Quick Q & A on sports mouthguards

Sports mouthguard use and care tip sheet – Do and Don't

Why Athletes Should Wear Mouthguards: One Player's Story

Mouthguards Are Not One Size Fits All

Status of mouthguard policies for Canadian sporting organizations

Athletic Mouthguards – Health Canada