Is your mouth prepared for fall sports?

  • Published
  • By Maj. Ann Alexander
  • 60th DENTAL SQUADRON
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  A properly fitted mouth guard is an important piece of athletic gear that can protect your teeth and smile. They should be considered a standard piece of one's athletic gear from an early age. 

Mouth guards help buffer an impact or blow that otherwise could cause broken teeth, jaw injuries or cuts to the lip, tongue or face. Mouth guards also may reduce the rate and severity of concussions.

According to the American Dental Association, an athlete is 60 times more likely to suffer harm to their teeth when not wearing a mouth guard. You may have seen them used in contact sports, such as football, boxing, ice hockey, lacrosse, and basketball.

However, you don't have to be on the football field to benefit from a mouth guard. New surveys show that even in non-contact sports, mouth guards help protect teeth regardless of your age, gender, or skill level in playing a sport. Many experts now recommend that a mouth guard be worn for any recreational activity that poses a risk of injury to the mouth.

The three types of mouth guards are:

(1) The ready-made, or "stock" mouth guard;
(2) The mouth-formed "boil and bite" mouth guard, and;
(3) The custom-made mouth guard made by your dentist.

The most effective mouth guards are:

- Durable, resilient and tear-resistant;
- Fit properly to be comfortable;
- Easy to clean, and;
- Do not affect your speech or breathing.

If you have a mouth guard, take good care of it:

- Before and after each use, rinse it with cold water or with antiseptic mouth rinse. You can clean it with your toothpaste and toothbrush too;
- When it's not being used, place your mouth guard in a firm, perforated container. This permits air circulation and helps prevent damage;
- Avoid high temperatures, such as hot water, hot surfaces or direct sunlight, which can distort the mouth guard, and;
- Check it for tears and holes, and to see whether it has become loose. A mouth guard that has torn can irritate your mouth and lessen the amount of protection it provides.

Treating a sports-related dental injury can cost thousands of dollars. Make the worth-while investment and obtain a mouth guard for yourself and your family members. "Boil and Bite" mouth guards are available at the 60th Dental Squadron, the base gym, and the Youth center.

For additional information, contact the 60th Dental Squadron's Arthur J. Sachsel dental clinic at 423-7001.