Young athletes are very likely to experience a mouth injury during their sports careers, but most parents and players resist the call to wear mouth guards. The National Youth Sports Foundation for Safety recorded over 5 million teeth knocked out last year during youth sporting events, with 80 percent of those injuries on the front teeth. In other words, that's a lot of missing – noticeable – teeth. The majority of these injuries could have been prevented by the proper use of mouth guards.
To help educate parents, coaches, and kids, the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) has teamed up with Jennifer Montana, wife of football great Joe Montana and the mother of two sons who play football, to urge athletes to "play it safe" by wearing mouth guards and other appropriate protective gear when participating in many sports and activities. To kick off Jennifer's involvement and bring attention to April's National Facial Protection Month, Montana is helping the AAO to announce the results of a recent survey on sports, mouth guards and facial protection. The AAO commissioned an online survey of parents to determine why many preventable face and mouth injuries are still so prevalent among young athletes. Overall, the survey results showed the need for better education of parents and coaches about the risks and need for mouth guards and other protective measures in contact sports.
When it comes to choosing a mouth guard, something is better than nothing. So called "stock" mouth guards are available at most sporting goods stores. With theses mouth guards, you simply pick a size and hope that it fits. A snug fit is nearly impossible to achieve with these types. A step up from this is the "boil and bite" mouth guard which you bite into after softening in boiling water to create a semicustom fit. These are also available at most sporting goods stores.
The best fitting mouth guard is one that is custom made by a dentist or Orthodontist. After taking an impression of the teeth, the custom rubberized material is formed around the model of the teeth much the same way as a custom retainer is made, except that the custom mouth guard is thicker and more pliable and fits perfectly. These mouth guards offer the most protection with the least amount of bulk. It is easier to breathe and to speak with a custom mouth guard. Because of the tight fit, they are less likely to fall out.
Thanks to the hard work of the entire Petrol Orthodontics Team 150 young football players will be sporting red and black custom fitted mouth guards this season.
