So many people incur mouth injuries while playing sports that they have even invented a sports mouth guard. Unfortunately, your dentist in Las Cruces, NM, still sees many dental patients come in with damage from playing sports. It’s confusing why a person wouldn’t want to protect their mouth from injury, but it’s understandable why people shy away from using a sports guard.

Misunderstandings About Sports Mouth Injuries

Sometimes people don’t wear a sports guard because of misunderstandings:

• Sports mouthguards are only for professional athletes: This is not true at all. They are made for kids of all ages, including toddlers. They are also appropriate for all levels of athletes, including schoolyard athletes.
• Sports mouth guards aren’t for casual sports: Actually, many mouth injuries happen in the backyard, during post-Thanksgiving family football games, during batting practice in the neighborhood field, and in similar situations.
• Sports mouth guards don’t do much: On the contrary, sports mouth guards have tons of benefits, as listed below.

Benefits of Sports Mouth Guards

1. Protecting the Teeth

Whether you’re especially proud of your teeth or not, you’ll feel better if one of your teeth isn’t knocked out by a stray hockey stick, right? Sports mouth guards protect teeth like a goalie protects the net.

2. Protection for the Jaw

Did you know you’re less likely to incur a jaw fracture if you wear a sports mouthguard? That’s because the mouth guard helps absorb the shock and spreads out the force of trauma so your jaw doesn’t take 100% of the hit.

3. Protecting Soft Tissue

Have you ever bitten your cheek or tongue during a fall or rough play? A sports mouth guard can prevent such injuries by acting as a barrier between your teeth and the soft tissues of your mouth.

If you get a mouth injury and need cosmetic dentistry in Las Cruces, NM, we’re here for you. But we’d rather you protect your teeth with a sports mouth guard. Contact us to learn more.