How Effective are Sports Mouthguards in Protecting Your Teeth?

As the popularity of competitive sports increases among young people, so does the number of sports injuries. By wearing protective sports gear, young athletes can protect themselves against mishaps on the sports field. Many coaches recommend the use of sports mouthguards for protection against oral injuries. If you’re an avid sports player and want added protection for your teeth, you can contact Kingsgate Dental in Kirkland to have a quality sports mouthguard customized for your use.

Prevention of Dental Injuries

Whether you play competitively or for recreational purposes, there’s always the chance of having an accident that can damage your jaw, mouth, or teeth. A hard collision or blow to your mouth could result in fractured teeth, lacerations to gum tissue, a dislocated jaw, or other oral injuries. Mouthguards help soften the impact of trauma to your mouth, jaw, gums, or teeth to protect them against severe damage or harm.

Sports mouthguards have been proven highly effective in minimizing the effect of dental trauma on the sports field. Basketball, football, soccer, volleyball, boxing, and ice hockey are a few examples of contact sports that can cause oral injuries. In an accident, a sports mouthguard could save you dental bills worth thousands of dollars.

Quality, Types, and Costs

Sports mouthguards’ costs differ depending on the quality of the product you choose.

• Stock pre-made mouthguards are the cheapest, but they’re often ill-fitting, making it hard to speak or breathe.
• Boil & bite mouthguards are a step up from stock mouthguards in comfort and performance but not as effective as a mouthguard customized for your use.
• A custom-designed mouthguard will fit comfortably, function properly, and won’t restrict your breathing or speech due to its quality craftsmanship. It’s more costly than other options but will provide you with years of dependable use.

With a sports mouthguard, you can protect your beautiful smile as you play and enjoy your sport to the fullest. To learn more about our custom-designed mouthguards, contact Dr. Anne Kelley from Kingsgate Dental in Kirkland at (425) 385-0080.

Ann Kelley, DDS

Dr. Ann Kelley is a graduate of the Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha, Nebraska. She highly values the comfort of her patients, and places the needs of the patient above her convenience. Her dental clinic is built to bring the best and most comfortable dental experience to all her patients. She builds relationships with her patients based on trust and always acts to safeguard this trust.