Added to Basket
How to protect yourself from dental injury in sports
Injuries and sports are one of life’s classic pairings. Adam and Eve. Ant and Dec. Strawberries and cream. You get the idea.
While you can take precautions to minimise the risk of injury, the chances are if you take part, especially competitively and especially in contact sports, you’ll fall foul at some point. And, in many sports, there’s a high chance of injury to your head - including your mouth.
Organised sports that have a high frequency of oral injuries include rugby, basketball, wrestling, field hockey, football, soccer, lacrosse, baseball, and softball. It’s the sports where you’re least expecting a facial injury that carry the highest risks because, well, you’re not expecting it! In combat sports like boxing and MMA, we expect facial injuries as part of the sport. People wear mouthguard protection to minimise the damage and the focus falls on better aftercare.
In other sports, injuries are common among beginners because they lack the skill and knowledge that a more advanced player has, often finding themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. When people play sport at a low level, they don’t think it’s serious enough to lead to injury. Because, like we said, they’re not ready for a shock injury.
High-level, professional athletes aren’t immune either. You only need to look at the pro leagues in any sport to find plenty of people out for the season with a serious injury. Balls are faster and hits are harder, and the sheer power can lead to huge injuries. Have you ever seen one of those videos where a baseball player takes a throw right in the face? It’s not pretty.
For this reason, no matter what level you’re at, it’s essential you wear a mouthguard which protects your teeth, gums, mouth, and jaw from devastating injuries.
How mouthguards protect athletes
Dentists estimate that 13 to 39% of all dental injuries in children are sports-related. In the UK, approximately 25% of children will injure or lose a front tooth during physical activity. Without a mouthguard, you’re 60 times more likely to suffer a dental injury while playing sport.
Mouthguards keep those pearly whites safe meaning you leave the pitch, field, or ring with your smile intact. They also protect the tongue, lips, and cheek lining by covering the sharp edges of your teeth so there are no accidental bites. We’ve all bitten our cheek by accident and that’s not fun. Imagine that but 100 times worse!
The different types of mouthguard protection
If you’re just starting out, you can’t go wrong with something like a boil-and-bite mouthguard or even a custom-fit one. These can be moulded in the comfort of your own home. They shape around your teeth, providing a snug fit, comfort, and easy wear.
If you’re looking for something a bit more advanced, you’ll be amazed by some of the sophisticated technology. Teams can get the OPRO+ which uses digital technology to collect in-game data for transmission to the management team on the sidelines, allowing them to monitor player performance and health in real-time.
No matter who you are, what game you’re playing, or the level you’re playing at, if there’s a chance of injury, you shouldn’t take it. Always ensure you’re wearing the right protection. It can save you time, money, and even your career.
We have mouthguards to suit every player in every sport. As the official mouthguard provider to six World Cup rugby squads, we’ve gained the experience needed to change the face of mouthguard protection with our Power-Fit mouthguards and groundbreaking OPRO+ designs. Take a look on our website for something that suits your style.