6 Scary Facts About Oral Injuries And Generic Mouthguards

Scary. Terrifying. Blood-curdling.

What do these words make us think of? No, not Halloween … Oral injuries.

Oral and facial injuries are no joke. Aside from being sensitive and having severely painful effects, injuries to the mouth and face are just a bloody mess. That’s because the face and mouth are two areas of the body that bleed the most when lacerated.

And without the right protection, your players may need more than a few tissues if they are struck in the face. Especially if they happen to lose a tooth. 

Injuries are simply a scary fact of sports, but without the proper protection, they may become even more haunting. Here are six scary facts about oral injuries and terrifying tales of generic mouthguards:

1. The Tooth Is Out There

Approximately 5 million teeth are knocked out annually during sports and recreational activities. So while it may be good to be a dentist, it’s not great to be an athlete’s mouth.

Your players have a 33-56% chance of receiving an orofacial injury — an injury to the mouth or face — during their playing career. And that means it’s highly important that they have the proper protection.

2. Ghosts Of Injuries Past

Broken arms and legs heal. ACLs are repairable. A broken tooth lasts forever.

If your players sustain an oral injury, specifically a broken or damaged tooth, they’re signed up for a lifetime supply of dental visits. That’s because the maintenance to keep a replaced tooth healthy never ends and a broken tooth does not heal itself like a broken bone does.

3. Scarred For Life

With a lifetime need for maintenance, appointments and surgeries, the lifetime cost to replace just one tooth is approximately $20,000.

And unlike a scar on the leg or arm, your players’ faces are always visible, and their smile leaves a lasting impression. Just imagine what happens when multiple teeth are lost or damaged with one hit!

4. The Haunted Mouthguard

While there have been advancements made in the materials used, generic boil-and-bite mouthguards have been haunted by the same design flaw since the 1960s.

The mouth is only able to apply approximately 7-9 lbs per square inch of pressure when biting into a boil-and-bite mouthguard, meaning your players are unable to capture a proper impression of their mouth. And that leaves them susceptible to oral injuries.

Mouthguards of the 21^st century are pressed at 120 lbs per square inch using heat and pressure, which allows for a more intimate fit and proper protection.

5. Performance Killer

Mouthguards that don’t fit well aren’t just uncomfortable — they are actually harmful to performance. That’s because ill-fitting mouthguards float around in the mouth, which is distracting and inhibits breathing and communicating.

In order for mouthguards to be effective, and comfortable, they need to be fit to each athlete’s individual mouth structure. After all, much like fingerprints, everyone’s mouth is different and unique.

When your players’ mouthguards fit intimately against their upper teeth, without bulkiness where material isn’t needed, they’re getting optimal airflow which gives them the ability to breathe, drink and communicate clearly — meaning athletic performance is actually enhanced by a proper mouthguard.

6. RIP Protection

You may notice that generic mouthguards frequently end up in the twilight zone. That’s because they don’t matter to your athletes; they don’t identify with them and they find no value in the mandatory piece of gear. 

Well, it’s time to raise your players’ mouthguards from the dead. With complete personalization — from name and number, to colors and logos — your players have the ability to show off their personal identity.

And much like Halloween costumes and oral injuries, customized mouthguards are a frightening sight!

What’s scarier and more ghoulish than oral injuries? The lack of protection offered by outdated generic mouthguards. Stop playing tricks and get your players the treat of custom mouthguards.

Say Boo To Generic Mouthguards

Author Bio

Bobbie Quinn, co-founder of Gladiator Custom Mouthguards, played both lacrosse and field hockey as a youth and went on to play Division 1 women’s lacrosse in college. Bobbie continues to play women’s league field hockey and enjoys watching her son play various sports.