Avoid broken, chipped, worn down or lost teeth
A mouthguard is a shield that sits over your teeth to protect them from damage. Most often worn during sports, they are sometimes recommended when jaw issues are present or if you have a tendency to grind your teeth in your sleep. Special types of mouthguards can also be used to help treat sleep apnoea or snoring.
Dental injuries can end up costing quite a bit of money down the track, so it makes sense to minimise the risk by investing in a mouthguard. According to the Australian Dental Association (ADA), around one-third of traumatic tooth or mouth injuries are sports related. Mouthguards act as a buffer against any impact to the lower part of your face reducing the likelihood of tooth fracture and even other impact-related injuries such as concussion. As such, regardless of whether the sport you play is considered ‘contact’ or otherwise, the ADA and Sports Medicine Australia recommend you wear a mouthguard any time you’re in the field.
Mouthguards can:
- Prevent tooth or gum injury during sports
- Buffer impact, providing additional protection from con cussion
- Stop the effects of tooth grinding while you sleep
- Treat snoring and sleep apnoea
