If you’ve been an avid athlete for years (or the proud parent of one), then you know how important it is to properly protect your body from injury. There are kneepads, shin guards, and, of course, helmets – but have you considered how vulnerable your smile is? The truth is that nearly half of all sports-related injuries involve the face and can cause devastating damage to otherwise healthy teeth. That’s why Dr. Paul Caputo and his team place so much importance on the use of a mouthguard at their Naperville, IL office. After all, it’s better to be safe rather than sorry!
What exactly is a mouthguard?
Simply put, an athletic mouthguard is a comfortable piece of gear that fits over your teeth and helps protect your smile, lips, tongue, and even jaw from injuries that can occur when playing sports. It should always be worn during both practice and games and shouldn’t be chewed on.
While it may not seem like it makes much of a difference at first, the numbers are staggering – when football teams started requiring their players to wear mouthguards, the number of injuries reported per year dropped by 200,000! It’s even been proven that wearing a mouthguard reduces the severity of concussions.
But I play a non-contact sport! Should I still wear a mouthguard?
Yes! The American Dental Association and the Academy of Sports Dentistry recommend that mouthguards should be worn by athletes who participate in a wide variety of sports, including:
- Acrobatics
- Basketball
- Baseball
- Bicycling
- Boxing
- Gymnastics
- Skiing
- Surfing
- Volleyball
This is only a sample; to view the full list, please visit this page. Contact the office of Dr. Caputo today to schedule an appointment! Our team welcomes patients from the areas of Naperville, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Aurora, Plainfield, and beyond.