Mouthguards minimise sports dental injuries - ADA

An increase in the number of Australian children playing high intensity sport is contributing to an increase in oral trauma emergencies, yet more than half of children don't wear a mouthguard when training or in matches.

The frequency of children presenting to emergency departments with oral trauma has increased by 21% between 2000 to 2010 and with more than 60% of Australian children aged 5 to 14 participating in sport, up 43% over 11 years, consequently the Australian Dental Association is urging all parents to have their children fitted for a custom mouthguard.

The ADA's Oral Health Committee Chairman, Dr Peter Alldritt, said sporting accidents are one of the most common causes of dental injury and result in thousands of trauma presentations each year, many of which could be avoided or minimised with a protective mouthguard.