April is National Facial Protection Month, so our team at Joseph A. Ricciardi in Hamilton, NJ wants to remind you who to trust when it comes to protecting the athletes in your family.
Our custom-made athletic mouthguards provide the right kind of protection you and your child need during sporting events and recreational activities.
Let’s Knock Out The Numbers
Back in 2011, The National Youth Sports Safety Foundation had predicted that the following year would see nearly 3 million teeth knocked out due to injuries sustained during youth sporting events. That’s a pretty astonishing statistic!
A 2012 survey revealed that 67% of parents with kids involved in youth sports admitted that they chose not to buy an athletic mouthguard for their child. This is despite the fact that studies show a child without a mouthguard is 60 times more likely to sustain a sports-related facial injury.
The American Dental Association claims that athletic mouthguards help prevent nearly 200,000 facial injuries a year. So, considering these statistics, why aren’t more people choosing to use them?
Maybe it’s time to brush up on what we know about how athletic mouthguards help protect our teeth and why a customized mouthguard is a better choice for you, whether you participate in organized sports or just like to stay active recreationally.
Before You Jump In, Remember Fit First!
We live in the age of options. It seems like in almost every area of our lives, we’re given an endless number of choices. From the drive-thru menu to the shoe store, you can choose exactly what you want and can usually have it just the way you want it.
While this is definitely a good thing in many respects, it can also tempt you to buy into this erroneous idea that just because something is available doesn’t mean it’s the right for you.
When it comes to mouthguards, one size certainly doesn’t fit all. You might appreciate the convenience of being able to stop by the sporting goods store on the way home from work to grab a mouthguard. But commercially manufactured mouthguards simply do not offer the kind of comfort or protection you deserve.
For one thing, store bought mouthguards are usually too thick and too big. They can slide around your mouth and make it difficult to communicate with your coach or teammates during a game when it matters most.
They can also make it difficult to breathe properly. If you clench your teeth while you run, for example, and decide to buy a boil and bite guard from the store, it may provide a temporary solution to your teeth clenching.
But if the mouthguard doesn’t fit you well, it could possibly obstruct your airway and make your run much more difficult, if not downright agonizing! The same is true for key moments during a game. The last thing you should have to worry about it is being slowed down because you can’t breathe comfortably.
Another thing that makes our custom-fit mouthguards a better choice than what you find in stores is the level of protection. All it takes is one pop fly or one trip on the track to cause serious damage to your face, mouth, or teeth. And it doesn’t take much to do thousands of dollars worth, at that.
That’s why it’s so important to wear a mouthguard that’s made just for you. You need one that will stay firmly, yet comfortably, in place so that in the event that your face actually does make contact with something it isn’t supposed to, your mouth and teeth are effectively protected from the damaging force.
A mouthguard that’s too big or one that slides around can’t be counted on to be in the right place at the right time.
The clear winner when it comes to an athletic mouthguard is one that’s custom-made to fit you from our dental office. Dr. Ricciardi, DDS, and our highly experienced team will provide you with safe, comfortable protection so you and the athletes in your family can enjoy the sports and activities they love so much.
Call us at 609-752-3293 or fill out our online form to schedule your next dental cleaning and exam. At Joseph A. Ricciardi, DDS, we’re here to help you achieve a beautiful, healthy smile!