Athletic Mouthguards
Every day, the food and drinks we consume leave behind harmful deposits of plaque and tartar. Those deposits take a toll on our teeth and gums. What’s the best way to keep your mouth healthy? A strong commitment to brushing, flossing, and twice-yearly routine dental cleanings.
Did you know that approximately 25% of all dental injuries are sports-related? We have seen first hand the importance of wearing a custom athletic mouthguard to prevent dental injuries while playing soccer – as well as many other sports.
Why Athletic Mouthguards?
The ADA recommends all children and youth participating in soccer (and dozens of other sports) wear a mouthguard. The highest incidence of sports-related dental injuries that we see at Smile Hilliard come from biking, soccer, and swimming. It is easy to imagine how biking and soccer injuries occur, but you may not have thought about the prevalence of a child hitting their mouth on the side or bottom of a pool if they’re not wearing goggles or if they slip and fall.
Studies have shown some strong statistics, including:
- Athletic mouthguards cut the risk of a concussion by 50%
- 50% of all children and teens will suffer at least one traumatic injury to a tooth by the time they graduate high school
- Sports related injuries account for 3 times more facial/dental injuries than violence or traffic accidents
The data is available and proves it’s worth wearing an athletic mouthguard—regardless of if they are slightly uncomfortable and take time to get used to wearing. Fortunately, with custom athletic mouthguards like the ones we offer, the fit will be much more unique to the individual than store-bought mouthguards that are fitted at home.
How do Custom Athletic Mouthguards Work?
Athletic mouthguards better protect your mouth from injuries to teeth, cheeks, lips, and tongue that could occur during sports, including concussions, jaw injuries, broken teeth, and more.
Typically, the process of creating a custom athletic mouthguard for your child is simple:
- At your child’s appointment, we’ll take an impression of their teeth. Children who can take x-rays without a problem, can typically have an impression taken too.
- We fabricate the personalized mouthguard in our in-house lab.
- Once completed, you’ll visit us again so for a short appointment so your child can try on the mouthguard and make sure it fits perfectly.
We’re thrilled to offer FREE custom athletic mouthguards for children—a $150 value! The oral health and safety of your child is extremely important to us, so we are proud to offer this service free of charge.
Why Preventative Appointments?
Routine dental cleanings and check-ups allow us to not only clean your teeth, but also spot small problems before they evolve into bigger ones. The foundation of a healthy smile, routine appointments:
- Help you maintain a fresh and clean smile
- Prevent cavities and tooth decay
- Brighten the appearance of teeth
- Identify early symptoms of gum disease
- Reduce frequent bad breath
- Potentially avoid more expensive treatments and procedures
- Help prevent more serious medical problems that develop from neglected oral health
- Offer helpful advice for better at-home oral care
Our Approach.
At Smile Hilliard, we recommend scheduling a exam and cleaning twice a year. Rather than getting you through your appointment as fast as possible, we take time to get to know you personally. We listen to your goals, address any concerns you may have about your oral health, and offer insightful advice to improve your smile. If any issues are identified during the routine exam, a customized treatment plan is created. Finally, every cleaning is ended with at home dental care education, as well as a new toothbrush and floss.
