An athletic mouth guard (sports guard) is a resilient device or appliance placed inside the mouth to reduce injuries, particularly to the teeth and surrounding structures.

Mouth guards, which typically cover the upper teeth, can cushion a blow to the face, minimizing the risk of broken teeth and injuries to the soft tissues of the mouth, according to the American Dental Association (ADA). A properly fitted mouth guard will stay in place and be easy for users to talk and breathe through while wearing. Custom-fitted mouth guards are made by a dentist in a dental office, or at a dental laboratory based on a dentist’s instructions. An impression is taken of the teeth and a mouth guard is created using the model. The fitting of a mouth guard is best accomplished under the supervision or direction of a dentist.

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry’s Policy on Prevention of Sports-related Orofacial  Injuries, sports accidents account for 10 percent to 39 percent of all dental injuries in children, and are most often caused by direct hits with a hard object, such as a puck or ball, or player-to-player contact.

The ADA offers the following five tips to help prevent facial injury:

1. Wear a mouth guard when playing contact sports. Mouth guards are significantly less expensive than the cost to repair an injury, and dentists and dental specialists can make customized mouth guards that hold teeth in place and allow for normal speech and breathing.
    
2. Wear a helmet. Helmets absorb the energy of an impact and help prevent damage to the head.
    
3. Wear protective eyewear. Eyes are extremely vulnerable to damage, especially when playing sports.
    
4. Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin. Hockey pucks, basketballs and racquetballs can cause severe facial damage at any age.
    
5. Make protective gear mandatory for all sports. Athletes who participate in football, hockey and boxing are required to wear mouth guards. If mouth guards have been proven to significantly decrease the risk of oral injuries, our office strongly suggest that athletes/patients/children wear them, particularly when participating in basketball, football, rugby, boxing, handball, skateboarding, weight lifting, CrossFit and many other kinds of physical activity.