Sports Dentistry
Dr. Charlie Cooper with the 2005 Pee Wee Champion War Eagles.
Sports Dentistry
The Northside Youth Organization (NYO) is a partner with the City of Atlanta Park and Recreation Department in providing youth programs throughout the year at Chastain Park . NYO is considered one of the oldest parks with the largest participation in the South with almost 5,000 registered participants, ages 4-14 and is one of the only parks in Georgia with 4 sport/year round participation. Dr. Charlie Cooper has coached a number of NYO sports teams and in the process has developed a keen interest in dealing with and preventing sports injuries to the mouth.
The Importance of Mouthguards
Many times, by the time kids are actively participating in sports, their permanent teeth are coming in. In fact, dental injuries are the most common type or orofacial injury sustained during participation in sports according to the National Youth Sports Foundation for the Prevention of Athletic Injuries.
Sports-related trauma to the teeth or bone areas of the mouth can have life-long effects. For example, kids who have their teeth knocked out who do not have teeth properly preserved or replanted may easily face lifetime dental costs of $15,000 - $20,000 or more per tooth, hours in the dentist's chair, and the possible development of other dental problems, including periodontal disease. A properly fitting mouthguard can also help absorb certain sports-related impacts and mitigate concussions.
The good news is that mouthguards can be worn and prevent much of this damage. The American Dental Association estimates that mouthguards prevent approximately 200,000 injuries each year in high school and collegiate football alone. Another study found that in basketball, where mouthguards are not routinely worn, 34% of the injuries were orofacial.
Unfortunately, the word "mouthguard" is universal and generic, and includes a large range and variety of products, from "over the counter" models bought at the sporting goods stores to professionally manufactured and dentist-prescribed, custom-made mouthguards. Presently, over 90% of the mouthguards worn are of the variety bought at sporting good stores. The other 10% are of the custom made variety diagnosed and designed by a health professional (dentist and/or athletic trainer). By far, the best kind of mouthguards are custom-made mouthguards are supplied by a dentist. These provide better fit both before an impact and then at the time of impact, thus protecting the teeth better and preventing injury. The pricing of these can be all over the board, but our office offers a certain number of these free to our local youth sports program in an effort to help out those who are interested in this protection. See this link:
In my experience as a dentist and a youth sports coach, kids routinely just chew on the mouthguards when they are between plays. As a result, the mouthguards can look like mangled sheets of plastic with little to no added protection for the player's teeth and bone. Thus, parents should be diligent in checking the condition of this important piece of equipment.
Finally, you may have heard about the new types of performance enhancing mouthguards. Companies like Under Armour have teamed up with dentists to launch a line of mouth gear, which not only reduces the G-force impact of blows to the jaw by 20%, but also significantly improves strength, endurance, reaction time, and athletic stress. If it sounds amazing, it actually is!
Can A Mouthguard Make You Stronger and Run Longer?
The New Under Armour Mouthguard Promises Jaw-Dropping Performance & Is Only Available at Exclusive Dentists
ATLANTA , GA Under Armour has just launched a new line of mouth gear, which not only reduces the G-force impact of blows to the jaw by 20%, but also improves strength, endurance, reaction time, and athletic stress. This new mouth gear is custom-made and available only at the a few authorized Under Armour dental practices in the country.
Dr. Charlie Cooper, one of the Under Armour authorized dentists and also a youth football coach explains, “When athletes exert themselves, clenching the jaw is a natural reaction.” Teeth-clenching, however, triggers the excess production and release of hormones, such as cortisol, that produce stress, fatigue and distraction, hindering an athlete's performance. “The Under Armour Mouthwear prevents an athlete's teeth from clenching, relieves pressure on the temporomandibular joint and prevents the excessive production of performance-sapping hormones,” explains Dr. Cooper.
The Under Armour Mouthgear is different from a normal mouthguard because of the design. More than 15 years of independent studies at some of the nation's top universities and research centers, including The Citadel and IMG Academies , have proven the science behind UA Performance Mouthwear.
Available exclusively through an Under Armour authorized dental provider such as the Atlanta Center for Cosmetic Dentistry, the Under Armour Performance Mouthwear line includes:
• UA Performance Mouthpiece--Custom-molded mouthpiece proven to increase strength by an average of 17% for noncontact sports, such as baseball, golf, tennis, cycling, and running.
• UA Performance Mouthguard--Custom-molded mouthguard proven to increase strength by an average of 12% for contact sports, such as football, hockey, lacrosse, martial arts and wrestling.
The UA Mouthwear also enlarges airway openings resulting in 25% less lactic acid buildup after 30 minutes of intense exercise. “This technology has been available to professional, Olympic and collegiate athletes in the past, and we're thrilled to now be able to bring such an incredible product to our hometown athletes – whether a serious high school football player or weekend tennis player," said dentist Dr. Debra Gray King.
