Every sport has its uniform essentials. Football players wear helmets and shoulder pads. In hockey—a Wisconsin favorite—players also wear heavy padding as well as a helmet and in the case of the goalie, a face mask, too. Tennis stars wear tennis whites. The list goes on and on. But there is one piece of equipment that every player should wear regardless of the sport and regardless of whether they play professional or amateur. A mouthguard is essential for protecting your teeth, gums, lips and tongue during any kind of athletic activity. At Hill Avenue Dental in Superior, WI, Dr. Doug Clark, Jr. or Dr. Doug Clark III will prescribe a custom-fitted mouthguard for you or any member of your family who is actively involved in sports.
Every year, more than five million teeth are lost because of sports injuries. With a mouthguard, you can prevent one of those teeth from being yours. But avoiding tooth loss is only the beginning of the advantages that wearing a mouthguard offers. The risk of other serious injuries—such as lacerations to the tongue, lips and gums—are greatly reduced. Moreover, wearing a mouthguard has been shown to reduce the risk of concussion that might otherwise result from a hard blow to the head, face or jaw. Essentially, a mouthguard acts like a shock absorber between your upper and lower jaw, thereby helping to not only prevent concussions, but neck injuries, too.
Mouthguards: The Psychological and Economic Benefits
When playing competitive sports, athletes want every psychological advantage they can get. Research indicates that when they are wearing proper protection, including a mouthguard, they feel more confident and are likely to play more aggressively. Furthermore, wearing a mouthguard offers a tremendous economic advantage; replacing a tooth lost due to a sports injury can cost 20 times more than the cost of a custom-fitted mouthguard.
Call Our Office Today
No matter what your sport is, call Hill Avenue Dental to schedule your appointment for a custom-fitted mouthguard. We serve patients in Superior, WI, as well as from Duluth, Douglas County, Northern Wisconsin and Northeastern Minnesota.
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