Lacerations to the lip, cheek & chin, fractures to facial bones, broken teeth & knocking out permanent teeth; can all be prevented if the correct Protective Device is worn.

Mouthguards

Did you know that 50% of traumatic dental traumas are caused by sporting injuries? You can prevent these severe injuries from occurring by wearing a mouthguard while playing sports. A mouthguard should be worn for all contact sports including: Football, Soccer, Hockey, Netball, Basketball, Squash and Boxing.

Your mouth is the only one of its kind and therefore your mouthguard should be unique. A custom made mouthguard will fit you properly and give you the level of protection you need and allow you to breathe and speak easily and freely.  

Severe injuries can include:

• Lacerations to the lip, cheek and chin
• Fractures to facial bones
• Broken teeth
• Knocking out permanent teeth - A tooth lost, may be a tooth lost forever! 

Mouthguard Awareness   http://www.ada.org.au/oralhealth/mouthguard.aspx

Mouthguards are a must have accessory for sportspeople wanting to give their teeth the best chance of surviving any surprise contact during team sport activities and their use is highly recommended by dentists.

There are NO guarantees because it is not possible to stop every injury and you should always seek specialist dental or medical advice.

The Australian Dental Association has established national Mouthguard Awareness to promote the benefit of wearing custom-fitted mouthguards during training and sports events. The week targets all contact sports including rugby, soccer, netball, hockey, squash and basketball.

The key objectives of Mouthguard Awareness include:

• To promote the wearing of custom-fitted mouthguards during training sessions and sport events
• To encourage sports coaches and sports associations to enforce a “No Mouthguard, No Play” policy.
• To educate the community on the benefits and cost-effectiveness of custom-fitted mouthguards
• To encourage and promote dental health to the public

Caring for your custom-fitted Mouthguards

• Wear the mouthguard
• Clean the mouthguard by washing it with anti-bacterial liquid soap and warm (not hot) water. Do not use solvents (alcohols, acids or enzymes) for cleaning
• Keep the mouthguard in the well-ventilated plastic storage box when not in use
• Heat is bad for mouthguards, so don't leave mouthguard in the direct sunlight or in a hot car or through the wash or dryer
• Don't bend the mouthguard when storing
• Don't wear removable appliances such as retainers or dentures when playing sport
• Mouthguards are made specifically designed for an individual, do not share it
• Your mouthguard has been designed for one season's use. Replace the mouthguard every season
• If under orthodontic care with braces, the mouthguard should be modified by the orthodontist during its fabrication to allow for additional orthodontic movement
• Call the dentist who made the mouthguard if there are any problems

Tooth Grinding & TMJ Problems

Often people who are under an unusual amount of pressure will deal with their tension and stress by clenching or grinding their teeth while sleeping. Grinding your teeth at any time is considered a hazard and can affect the total well being of your mouth. Grinding your teeth can cause damage to the tempromandibular joint and can alter your bite. If you hear a clicking or popping in your jaw joints when you chew, you may suffer from tempromandibular joint dysfunction commonly called TMJ. Although stress-related grinding of your teeth at night is one cause of TMJ, other causes of TMJ have been traced to or associated with a bad bite, poor posture and even sleep positions. Injury or aging can also cause TMJ disorders. TMJ can create headaches; dizziness, buzzing or ringing in the ears and dull pain around the ears that radiates to neck, back and shoulders.

Treatment of TMJ problems varies with the cause. Your dentist may suggest relaxation exercises to reduce tension, a special diet, physical therapy, or your dentist may make an appliance to help relax your jaw muscles and aid in restoring normal joint functions. If you believe that you suffer from a TMJ disorder, tell your dentist so that the condition can be monitored and diagnosed and follow his or her recommended treatment. Again, if you have any concerns, please consult your dentist.

Ideally the upper and lower teeth should meet together evenly and comfortably, However, if for some reason this does not happen, bruxism can start as the jaws and the chewing muscles try to grind the teeth into a position where everything feels comfortable.

Often the smoothing down of fillings or teeth that are protruding too far is all that is required to rectify the problem.

Wearing an Oral Splint

Relief from the effects of bruxism can be obtained from wearing an acrylic oral splint (usually at night). The oral splint separates the upper and lower teeth and so protects the teeth from further damage and relieves the soreness in the chewing muscles and jaw joints.

The oral splint is light and, normally, is made to fit top teeth the biting surface of the splint is made quite smooth so that the opposing teeth can slide over it very easily. There are many different designs of oral splints that have been devised for individual problems. Your dentist will be happy to explain the benefits of the different oral splints available for your individual problem.