There are many winter sports that require a mouthguard. Many sports don’t technically require them, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be worn anyway. It’s easy to assume that goggles, helmets, and gloves are the only protection needed for winter sports, but mouthguards are critical in protecting your teeth, mouth, and jaw.
Whether your child plays travel basketball or you play in an adult hockey league, always wear a mouthguard during these high-contact athletic activities. Your dentist in Piedmont CA will fit you or your child for a custom mouthguard so you can be assured of the highest level of protection possible. In the event your dentist does not offer custom mouthguards, you can always pick one up at the store. While not a custom fit, these items typically mold to your mouth as best they can after being softened in hot water. Anything is better than nothing!
Today we will examine some of the winter sports that require mouthguards, and why mouthguards are essential for participation in winter sports.
5 Winter Sports and Mouthguards
1. Skiing and Snowboarding
Preventing a facial injury as you swoosh down the slopes can be assured by wearing a mouthguard. With these intense sports, there is a very real risk of falling on the hard-packed snow or colliding with a fellow skier. Skiers and snowboarders who do not don a mouthpiece in the event of a fall or collision can easily sustain injuries to the face and mouth.
2. Hockey
Your mind probably automatically goes to knocked out teeth when you think about common hockey injuries. However, your tongue and gums can also be at risk due to anything from close contact to flying pucks and sticks. This sport is well known for slashing, hooking, and tripping, so mouthguards should be considered a paramount part of the uniform when players suit up.
3. Wrestling and Basketball
Facial injuries abound with these intense indoor activities. Anything from close contact with an opponent to flying elbows can leave you with a knocked out tooth fast.
We don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade. Winter sports are certainly fun, and an important part of recreation and exercise. However, taking proper precautions to protect yourself is the main goal. Having to cut your day on the slopes short or riding the bench at a game will be the least of your worries if you’re lucky after an injury. If Lady Luck isn’t looking favorably on you, you could be calling your dentist’s emergency line or heading to the emergency room. The key to avoiding all that and preserving your enjoyment of the game is to always wear a custom fitted mouthguard for oral protection.
Why Are Mouthguards in Winter Sports So Important?
These activities can pose various dangers to your smile, even though you may thrive on the intensity of playing your favorite winter sport. Mouthguards can reduce the risk of sports-related dental injuries, says the American Dental Association (ADA). This is why the ADA strongly recommends players wear a properly-fitted mouthguard to reduce not only the incidence but the severity of oral injury in sports activities – especially in those with a significant risk of orofacial injury or dental trauma.
In addition to facial injuries, mouthguards are also proven to reduce the risk of concussion. One study shows that in youth hockey players wearing a mouthguard, their risk of concussion is almost two-thirds lower than those who do not wear one.
Certain sports place participants at an elevated risk for injuries to the lips, tongue, and soft tissue, as well mouth and teeth. Take basketball for example. This sport is a leading cause of one of the highest numbers of dental injuries for players thanks due to the jumping, running, and diving for the ball involved. And what about all those elbows being thrown? In addition to damaging your jaw and tongue, you can also harm your pearly whites.
Hockey and skiing are two other examples of dangerous sports that depend on snow and ice to perform. As such, it’s imperative to protect your mouth from falls or flailing hockey sticks. Finally, wrestling is another risky sport even though it doesn’t involve running, jumping, or speed. Rather, the intensity level is very high due to the pinning and grappling, often resulting in major dental injuries that can arise when in such close proximity to another player.
Book a Mouthguard Fitting With Piedmont Oaks Dental
It’s important to be ever-vigilant in protecting your teeth or your kids’ teeth during winter sports season. Let us help. Our team can fit you or your child for a custom mouthguard to ensure the best protection possible. Remember: custom mouth pieces are even more important for kids who wear braces. Please give us a call to book your appointment with Piedmont Oaks Dental at (510) 654-6523. While we love to see our patients here at Piedmont Oaks Dental, the last thing we want is for your favorite winter sport to be sidelined due to a preventable injury.
