With preseason football training approaching, now is a good time for parents to get their kid’s a mouthguard. If they already have a custom-fitted mouthguard, this may need to be replaced if it has been damaged, or if they have new teeth since their mouthguard was first fitted.
Dental trauma from sporting injuries can include damage to the tooth nerve, fractured, cracked or knocked-out teeth, a broken jaw, damage to the tongue and cut lips. Unfortunately, a single case of dental trauma can lead to a lifetime of dental. Repair work does not last forever, so a damaged tooth may become a lifelong problem. Prevention is always better than the cure, so play it safe and wear a custom fit mouthguard.
High risk sports such as AFL, rugby, boxing, soccer and hockey are ‘no brainers’ because collision and contact are a part of the game. However, it is sports where accidental collision occurs that are often responsible for dental trauma, such as cricket, basketball, netball and touch football. These sports are considered ‘non-contact’ and yet they also carry risk of accidental collision and contribute to the thousands of adults and children who are treated for dental trauma each year. The Australian Dental Association strongly recommends the use of a mouthguard in any sport or activity where collision or contact is likely, during both games and training.