A recent study by a group of Griffith University researchers has uncovered some alarming statistics about junior rugby league players on the Gold Coast. They found that one third of players are NOT wearing mouth guards.
These are worrying figures, given the nature of the high contact sport. Professor Jereon Kroon, the head of the School of Dentistry at Griffith University says that all players are expected to wear mouth guards and compared this to batsman wearing helmets in cricket. He claims the chances of a traumatic dental injury occurring if a mouthguard is not worn are up to 1.9 times higher.
Tips For Ensuring Safety
- A cheap mouthguard from a chemist can often be uncomfortable and make breathing difficult.
- A custom fitted mouthguard from a dentist is much more effective and comfortable. Therefore your children will be more likely to wear it.
- If a tooth gets knocked out during sport, you must seek dental treatment within 15 minutes.
- If this is not achievable, try transporting the tooth in a liquid such as water or milk.
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-01/mouthguard-junior-rugby-league-players-study/6511188
Cheers
Linda
Practice Manager