A child's mouth and face can easily be injured if the correct precautions and equipment are not used during organized sports. In fact, sports-related injuries are the leading cause of emergency room visits in 12- to 17-year-olds according to the Centers for Disease Control, and a typical emergency room visit for a child can cost anywhere from $425 to $550 according to Blue Cross Blue Shield.
A new survey, however, reveals parents do not take advantage of some inexpensive protective sports gear, such as mouth guards [1], in many kids' sports. Since many oral sports injuries can be prevented by wearing mouth guards, why aren't more parents and kids getting the message?
To help educate parents, coaches, and kids, the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) has teamed up with Jennifer Montana, wife of football great Joe Montana and the mother of two sons who play football, to urge athletes to "play it safe" by wearing mouth guards and other appropriate protective gear when participating in many sports and activities. To kick off Jennifer's involvement and bring attention to April's National Facial Protection Month, Montana is helping the AAO to announce the results of a recent survey on sports, mouth guards and facial protection. The AAO commissioned an online survey of parents to determine why many preventable face and mouth injuries are still so prevalent among young athletes.
Overall, the survey results showed the need for better education of parents and coaches about the risks and need for mouth guards and other protective measures in contact sports. The survey found:
"As a parent of two children who play football, I know firsthand how important it is to keep your kids safe on the playing field," said Montana. "The survey results, though, highlight the need for parents and coaches of kids in other contact sports, such as baseball, softball, soccer and basketball, to better understand the risks and the need for the use of mouth guards and other facial protection." More needs to be done to correct what Dr. Hugh R. Phillis, an AAO trustee and orthodontist in Nashua, New Hampshire called the "disconnect" between parents' professed interest in sports safety and taking the simple and often inexpensive steps available to reduce the injury risk.
Mouth guards are one of the least expensive pieces of protective equipment available. Over-the-counter versions (stock and boil and bite) cost as little as $5, although custom-fit mouth guards may offer greater protection and allow athletes to communicate more easily. "The key point is to play it safe," says Dr. Phillis. "Any type of mouth guard is better than none," he says.
Not only do mouth guards save teeth, they may protect jaws. An orthodontist can recommend the best mouth guard for an athlete who wears braces. "A mouthguard is a challenge for a child with braces," notes Dr. Phillis, "because unless it is specially designed it could slow down treatment."
"I've seen children and adults ruin their healthy, beautiful smiles - or worse - because they do not take the proper precautions during sports," says Raymond George, Sr., DMD, orthodontist and AAO president. "Mouth guards should be common sense for parents, athletes and coaches when it comes to hard hitting sports."
Mouth guards can provide protection only when they are worn. So parents and coaches should remind youngsters to always wear them when participating in any activity during which the mouth might come into contact with a hard object or the pavement.
Consistent use of other protective equipment is important, too. Mandated for many organized sports, helmets save lives and prevent some types of head injuries. Face guards, devices made of plastic or metal that attach to baseball and football [4] helmets, also help to prevent facial and eye injuries.
In addition:
National Facial Protection Month is sponsored annually by the American Association of Orthodontists [8], the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons [9], and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry [10]. Orthodontists are specialists in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities who receive two to three years of specialized education beyond dental school to learn the proper way to align and straighten teeth. For more information about orthodontics or for the names of AAO member orthodontists in your area, click here [8]. Your dentist can refer you to orthodontists near you.
Links:
[1] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/228
[2] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/2573
[3] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/1381
[4] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/1867
[5] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/305
[6] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/2592
[7] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/1621
[8] http://www.braces.org
[9] http://www.aaoms.org
[10] http://www.aapd.org
[11] https://mail.momsteam.com/health-safety/position-statement-and-recommendations-for-mouthguard-use-in-sports
[12] https://mail.momsteam.com/health-safety/mouth-guards-prevent-dental-injuries-but-need-to-be-replaced-frequently