A mouthguard is a protective device useful for preventing injuries during contact sports
It is a protective device worn over the teeth to prevent injury to the teeth, gums, jawbone and lips. Most often, it is worn over the upper teeth only; however, in special instances determined by your dentist, it may be required for the lower teeth as well. It can be worn by both children and adults.
It is useful for preventing injuries during contact sports such as football, hockey, rugby, basketball, biking, karate, judo etc. It is estimated that more than 5 million teeth are lost in the United States of American annually, and more than 200,000 injuries are prevented by the use of mouthguards. The most common injuries that can be prevented include teeth chipping, nerve damage and even tooth loss!
Generally, a mouthguard is comfortable to wear, durable and easy to clean. It will not restrict breathing or speech.
We would like to acknowledge the following for their help in the contribution of the photo in the article:
PLAYSAFE and ORTHODONTIC MASTER, SINGAPORE
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This article was last reviewed on 15 Sep 2023
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Youth Preventive Dental Service (YPDS) provides oral health screening for pre-schoolers at some childcare centres as part of the Preschool Oral Health Screening and Fluoride Therapy Programme. Parents may access Healthhub to obtain the 'Information Sheet for Parents', which contains screening outcomes and the recommended follow-up action.
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