808-596-0837

My Blog

Posts for tag: mouthguards

The Importance of Mouthguards - Do You Know the Facts?

By Okabe Dental Arts

August 23, 2012

Category: Oral Health

Tags: oral health sports dentistry dental injuries mouthguards

TheImportanceofMouthguards-DoYouKnowtheFacts

Just as you would expect, we highly recommend the use of protective mouthguards to anyone participating in contact sports or rigorous physical exercise. The primary reasons we feel this way are substantiated by evidence-based research and experience within our practice. If you don't think mouthguards are helpful, here are some facts you should know:

Research conducted by the American Dental Association (ADA) found that individuals are 60 times more likely to damage their teeth when not wearing a mouthguard while engaged in contact sports or rigorous physical exercise. This shocking fact alone illustrates the importance of protective mouthguards.
A study reported by the American Academy of General Dentistry (AAGD) found that mouthguards prevent more than 200,000 injuries to the mouth and/or teeth each year.
Sports-related injuries often end-up in the emergency room; however, the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that more than 600,000 of these visits involve injury or damage to the teeth and mouth.
In addition to the trauma of having a tooth (or teeth) knocked out, individuals who have suffered from this type of injury may end up spending $10,000 to $20,000 per tooth over a lifetime for teeth that are not properly preserved and replanted. This staggering statistic is from the National Youth Sports Foundation for Safety.
While protective mouthguards were first used in the sport of boxing during the 1920s, the ADA now recommends their use in 29 (and growing) different high contact sports and activities. Some of these include acrobatics, baseball, basketball, bicycling, field hockey, football, handball, ice hockey, lacrosse, martial arts, skateboarding, skiing, soccer, softball, volleyball and wrestling.
It used to be that only males were considered when it came to needing mouthguards. However, recent studies have revealed that the growing interest and participation of females in these same sports and activities makes it just as important for them to protect their teeth.

To learn more about the importance of mouthguards, continue reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Athletic Mouthguards.” You can also contact us today to schedule an appointment or to discuss your questions about protecting your mouth and teeth. And if you have already suffered from a dental injury, let us evaluate the damage and work with you to restore the health and beauty of your teeth.

0 Comment(s) Permalink

Test your knowledge: How Much Do You Know about Mouthguards?

By Okabe Dental Arts

April 28, 2012

Category: Oral Health

Tags: oral health sports dentistry dental injuries mouthguards

TestyourknowledgeHowMuchDoYouKnowaboutMouthguards

We have learned that an important part of oral health is education — but more importantly, making it fun to learn so that you retain (and apply) what you learn! For this reason, we have put together the following self-test so that you can quickly access your knowledge on the subject of mouthguards.

The first sport to use (and require) protective mouthguards was:
1. football
2. boxing
3. baseball
4. ice hockey
Research conducted by the American Dental Association (ADA) found that individuals are ___ times more likely to damage their teeth when not wearing a mouthguard while engaged in contact sports or rigorous physical exercise.
1. 10
2. 20
3. 40
4. 60
As a rule of thumb, females do not require mouthguards because they are not as physically active as their male counterparts.
1. True
2. False
The American Academy of General Dentistry (AAGD) reports that mouthguards prevent more than ______ injuries to the mouth and/or teeth each year.
1. 200,000
2. 300,000
3. 400,000
4. 500,000
Which of the following sports or activities does the ADA recommend that participants wear protective mouthguards:
1. acrobatics
2. bicycling
3. handball
4. all of the above
The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that more than ______ sports-related injuries end-up in the emergency room each year with injury or damage to the teeth and mouth.
1. 275,000
2. 425,000
3. 600,000
4. 735,000
Over-the-counter mouthguards are just as effective as professionally made mouthguards.
1. True
2. False
In addition to the trauma of having a tooth (or teeth) knocked out, individuals who have suffered from this type of injury may end up spending ______ per tooth over a lifetime for teeth that are not properly preserved and replanted according to the National Youth Sports Foundation for Safety.
1. $10,000 to $20,000
2. $15,000 to $25,000
3. $25,000 to $35,000
4. Less than $10,000

Answers: 1) b, 2) d, 3) b, 4) a, 5) d, 6) c, 7) b, 8) a

You can learn more about the importance of mouthguards when you continue reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Athletic Mouthguards.” And if you have already experienced a dental injury, it may not be too late. However, we need to evaluate the damage so that we can establish a plan for restoring optimal oral health. Contact us today to learn more about protecting your mouth and teeth or to schedule an appointment.

0 Comment(s) Permalink