Recently, our offices in Chardon, Jefferson, and Painesville launched a special athletic mouthguard program to help young athletes from local high schools protect their smiles. With this program, we were able to provide students from Chardon, Harvey, Riverside and Jefferson High Schools with a custom-made mouthguard absolutely free of charge.

Why did we do it?

Because we’re firm believers in protecting young smiles from the harm that can be incurred while on the field or the court. It’s been estimated that as much as 40% of all sports injuries involve the face. What’s more, anywhere between 13-39% of all dental injuries are connected to sports. But with a custom-made athletic mouthguard, we’re able to help students protect their smiles from this kind of harm.

But, you might be wondering, what sets a custom-made athletic mouthguard apart from the kind you can buy from a sporting goods store?

The answer is simple: the mouthguards you find in a sporting goods store aren’t made to provide a custom fit. As a result, athletes who wear generic mouthguards are forced to hold it in place by biting down, which makes speaking and breathing difficult. What’s more, continued biting releases a stress hormone that creates feelings of exhaustion and inhibits both performance and concentration.

So, in other words, young athletes with a custom-made mouthguard can look forward to two things: a safer smile and a better performance while playing.

Our program is at an end for now, but we’d still love to talk to you and your young athlete about athletic mouthguards and their importance. Call any three of our offices today. We’d be happy to help your child with any dental needs that he or she has.