Orthodontics – A Sporting Chance
A press release from the British Orthodontic Society has warned athletes when they're playing contact sport to sport mouth guards.
Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that deals with teeth or jaws that need realigning. Often, the need for orthodontics can be a genetic thing – if somebody is born with a misaligned jaw for example. Increasingly, orthodontics is becoming necessary for athletes and sports fanatics, especially those that do contact sports. The British Orthodontic Society has highlighted the issue, saying those sports that require significant physical contact, such as boxing and rugby, or those sports that involve moving balls and bats, leave players more vulnerable to injury of the teeth and jaw.
Orthodontics – Dental Injuries, Sports Related
According to the British Orthodontic Society, between 13 and 39% of dental injuries are sports related. Orthodontics is a huge part of dentistry, and the demand for orthodontics is increasing. When you consider one in four children in the UK are expected to injure or even lose a front tooth, you get an idea of how crucial orthodontics is. The rise in popularity of contact sport is having a direct correlation on the rise in orthodontics. As a result, the dental profession is encouraging the use of mouth guards when playing contact sports, and they want mouth guards to be mandatory in schools that play contact sports. Orthodontics isn't cheap – and the news that some insurance companies won't honour claims if the patient wasn't wearing a mouth guard could be a big motivation for sports lovers to adopt the protective gear.
Preventative Mouth Guards
And dentists say those people who have already undergone orthodontics and wear a brace, must wear a mouth guard to prevent lacerations and cuts from the brace, or to avoid damage to the brace, during sports. Mouth guards have been routine in boxing since the 1920s when the protective gear became mandatory. The image of the mouth guard for boxers is of a chunky plastic guard, but advances in dentistry means mouth guards are pliable, tasteless and durable. Previously, sportsmen and women were reluctant to wear mouth guards, but now the bulkiness has gone, mouth guards don't impact on speech or swallowing. And they certainly make for a more pleasant alternative to a trip to the orthodontist.
Speak to the Harley Street Dental Studio
At the Harley Street Dental Studio in Central London, renowned dentist Dr Mark Hughes and his team of highly trained clinicians offer outstanding care and attention to their patients. Favoured by celebrities of the sporting and entertainment worlds, the clinic offers treatments including dental veneers, tooth whitening, porcelain crowns, amalgam-free fillings and clear braces. To discuss your dental needs or make an appointment, contact the studio on 020 7636 5981 or fill out the online contact form.
