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Cosmetic Dentistry Professional Says: “If You Play Sports, Wear a Mouthguard for Your Protection.”

Announcement posted by Joondalup City Dental 06 Oct 2016

Cosmetic dentistry professional in Joondalup reveals why a mouthguard is so important for anyone who plays sports.
Joondalup, WA, 06 October 2016 - Like many cosmetic dentistry professionals, Dr Roy Sarmidi of Joondalup City Dental would rather see patients keep their mouths healthy and never have the need for cosmetic dentistry procedures. According to Dr Sarmidi, one of the best ways for athletes of all ages, whether in organised or casual sports, to protect their dental health is to always wear a mouthguard when participating in sports:

“Thankfully, most youth and organised sports are requiring mouthguards, but people who play informal games on the weekend need to protect themselves, too. We offer cosmetic dentistry and emergency dentistry in our Joondalup office, but we would much rather save people the time, money, pain and hassle of injury by fitting them for a custom mouthguard right here in our office.”

The Australian Dental Association (ADA) and Sports Medicine Australia (SMA) co-authored a mouthguard policy that is currently in use by a majority of amateur sport teams of all ages and all levels. The policy makes mouthguards mandatory and has “no mouthguard, no play” provisions. It also allows for the constant monitoring and removal from competition of anyone not complying with the policy.

Neither the ADA nor SMA recommend cheap mouthguards. They don’t recommend stock mouthguards and they don’t recommend “boil and bite” mouthguards. The only mouthguards they view as safe enough and effective enough to prevent sports injuries are the custom fitted mouthguards available from most dentists.

Dr Sarmidi added: “Over the counter mouthguards have the potential for being effective if they were a perfect fit. The problem is that they never are; even boil and bite mouthguards slip around almost immediately during first use. When you go to the dentist, we use a mould to take a perfect impression of your teeth and make a custom mouthguard out of it. The result is a mouthguard that is exponentially better than anything you can buy over the counter.”

While most people expect contact sports such as footy or rugby to produce injuries, the sports where orofacial injuries are the most common are soccer and basketball. A mouthpiece can help prevent injuries to the jaw and the teeth, but they can also help prevent concussions and neck injuries.

There are three reasons most often cited for not wearing mouthguards. The first is that some people see them as “too expensive.” However, the cost of a preventable lost tooth or broken jaw can be much higher than the cost of a mouthguard. The pain, suffering and inconvenience of orofacial injuries are also much greater than the cost of a mouthguard.

Some athletes complain that mouthguards give them headaches, but a perfectly-fitted mouthguard from the dentist is highly unlikely to cause a headache. The other factor most cited is that people think they don’t need a mouthguard.

Dr Sarmidi concludes: “If you play sports, just go to your dentist and get a custom-fitted mouthguard. It could be the best investment you ever make.”

Joondalup City Dental offers services such as customised mouthguards, cosmetic dentistry, emergency dentistry and preventative dentistry from their location in the middle of Joondalup. They are staunch advocates of mouthguards for anyone participating in any sports from youth to adult. To learn more or to make an appointment, call (08) 9404 9500 or visit their website: http://www.joondalupcitydental.com.au/.