With the 18th Rugby World Cup season underway everyone is talking about who’s favourite to win. Alongside all the talk and hype it’s predicted that there will be an upsurge in participation especially amongst children which could lead to serious dental health issues.
It’s for this reason that the British Dental Health Foundation issued a reminder urging everyone taking up the sport to make sure they wear a mouthguard as this is an essential piece of safety in what is a very rough sport. Not wearing a mouth guard can result in injuries to lips, cheeks, tongue and jaw but most importantly to us at the Natural Smile; teeth being cracked or knocked out which could lead to horrendous pain and a lifetime of extensive and possibly expensive treatment.
Dr Nigel Carter the Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation commented that: “The Rugby World Cup is a fantastic occasion for Britain and also a fantastic arena for us to spread our safety message. When you see your team run out on that pitch, every single one of them will be wearing a mouth guard, they would think it crazy not to. Mouthguards for children, therefore, should not be optional; they should be one of the first things in the kit bag. Rugby by its very nature is very physical and accidents happen, sporting injuries are a leading cause of adults losing teeth. Wearing a mouth guard is a simple and cheap way of ensuring kids safety”.
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) regulations have acknowledged the importance of mouthguards and have made them compulsory for all players above school level who are involved in rugby. If these players have to wear them then there really is no excuse for it not to be compulsory for school children. Why stop there; if we think of other games such as cricket, hockey, football, American football and boxing – any sport really which can cause broken and damaged teeth should make their players wear mouthguards. You wouldn’t let your child ride a bicycle on the main road without a helmet would you?
You can buy a regular mouth guard from a variety of places, but here at the Natural Smile we will provide you with a custom-made mouth guard which will be molded to your own mouth and costs a mere £65. We have a variety of colours for you to choose from to make it more fun – you will agree that this is a relatively small amount of money if you consider not wearing one could lead to a lifetime of dental work!
When wearing a custom-made mouthguard it fits to your mouth exactly and not only protects your teeth and gums but can also prevent damage to the jaw, neck and even brain – preventing against concussions.
Dr Carter continues by saying: “We must take cues from other nations. New Zealand rugby saw a 43 per cent reduction in dental injuries after referees were given powers to ensure that all domestic rugby players of all ages must wear mouthguards.”
“We all take our teeth for granted. Often, it is only when we are faced with the reality of losing one, or several, that we realise just how important they are.
“Getting a child to wear a mouthguard shouldn’t prove difficult either, just point at their favourite player and they will be wearing one, as role models rugby players are great advocates for mouthguards. You can also get them in children’s favourite team colours too, so they can support their team with pride when they next run on to the pitch.”
So if you are playing rugby or your son/daughter is, there’s really no reason to call us and get a custom made mouthguard made!