Cost of Your Child NOT Wearing a Mouthguard During Sports
Frequency and Cost of Dental Injury in Sports
Research suggests that more than 5 million teeth are avulsed, or displaced from their socket, each year, oftentimes during sports activities. This results in nearly $500 million spent on replacing these teeth each year. According to the CDC, sports-related dental injuries account for more than 600,000 emergency room visits annually.
The average sports dental injury is not usually just a one-time cost to fix. The National Library of Medicine estimates that the average cost to treat an avulsed tooth over a lifetime can be anywhere between $5,000 to $20,000.
The good news? Many sports related oral injuries can easily be prevented with the use of a mouthguard. Mouthguards are a very affordable and crucial preventive measure to ensure that an individual, especially a child, is adequately protected while engaging in a contact sport. The price of an American Dental Association (ADA) approved youth mouthguard will run you around $30, which is a small price to pay when you consider what valuable assets you are protecting.
Sports and Activities That Need a Mouthguard
Below is a list of the sports and activities that the American Dental Association recommends a mouthguard for:
Contact/Collision Sports
| Basketball | Martial Arts |
| Boxing | Rugby |
| Football | Soccer |
| Handball | Water Polo |
| Ice Hockey and Field Hockey | Wrestling |
| Lacrosse |
Limited-Contact and Other Sports
| Skateboarding | Acrobatics |
| Baseball | Skiing |
| Bicycling | Skydiving |
| Equestrian Events | Softball |
| Field Events | Squash |
| Gymnastics | Surfing |
| In-Line Skating | Volleyball |
| Racquetball | Weightlifting |
| Shot-Putting | "Extreme Sports" |
How to Determine What Mouthguard to Purchase for Your Child
With any dental product, we always recommend referencing the list of ADA approved products. The ADA Seal of Acceptance was developed by the ADA to verify product claims and to help consumers determine the effectiveness of such products. According to the ADA’s website, the qualifications for its seal of approval are the following:
- The product components are safe for use in the mouth and do not harm or irritate oral soft tissues.
- Mouth-formed appliances can be prepared by the average person with low risk of injury to oral hard or soft tissues, or damage of orthodontic appliances.
- The mouthguard is free of sharp or jagged edges.
- The mouthguard passes tests outlined by the American National Standards Institute/American Dental Association for hardness, ability to resist tearing and withstand impact, as well as a measurement of the amount of water absorbed.
How Can You Tell If A Product Is ADA Accepted?
There are two ways to check if a product has received the ADA Seal of Acceptance.
- If you are shopping at a physical store, you can determine whether a product is ADA Accepted by looking on a product’s packaging for the seal shown below.
- If you are looking at products online and are not able to check the packaging, you can always reference the list of ADA Accepted items on the ADA’s website. The organization has created a special list called “ADA Seal Kids Shopping List” that contains all of the products that are ADA Accepted for children.
You may be surprised to find that Game On Mouthguards are the first approved sports mouthguards by the ADA on the market. Game On Mouthguard’s VISTAMAXX material provides significantly better shock absorption than traditional EVA plastic mouthguards. That's why Game On is the best children's mouthguard.
How Do I Purchase One for My Child?
You can purchase a Game On Mouthguard for your child by going directly to the Game On website. Both youth and adult sizes are offered, as well as strap and
no strap options. You are able to pick between 14 different colors and even add custom text or a logo if you desire. Make sure that your child has a tested and trusted mouthguard today!
