FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 20, 1997
CONTACT:
Chris Martin
Jann Ingmire
DC Convention Center
202/371-4509
Chicago Office
312/440-2806
Weekend Athletes at Risk for Oral Injuries
WASHINGTON -- A recent study estimates that one of every four people in the United States suffers an oral injury during their lifetime. And while many of these injuries occur in violent sports like football, boxing and hockey, an alarmingly high percentage of teeth get knocked out during bike riding, baseball, soccer, volleyball and basketball.
The fact that many such incidents occur in non-contact sports has led dentists to recommend wearing a mouth protector during any activity in which physical contact might take place.
"The good news is that oral injuries declined when athletes began wearing more sophisticated protective devices, including mouth protectors," said Dennis N. Ranalli, D.D.S., professor and chair of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Ranalli will be speaking about sports dentistry and the importance of using mouthguards at the American Dental Association's (ADA) 138th Annual Session on Monday, October 20 in Washington, D.C.
The bad news is that thousands of oral injuries occur each year that might have been prevented by a mouth protector. Dr. Ranalli pointed out that even though many injuries are prevented, more improvement could be made.
"Currently, boxing is the only professional sport that requires mouth protectors, and boxing, football, ice hockey and men's lacrosse are the only organized amateur sports that require participants to wear mouth protectors," he said. "Women's sports are worse. Only women field hockey players are required to wear mouth protectors by regulation, despite a recent spate of oral injuries to 10 players on a woman's collegiate basketball team."
These accidents underscore Dr. Ranalli's crusade to get more athletes to wear mouth protectors. Some weekend or hobby athletes have gotten the picture.
"Several competitive bike racers and casual mountain bikers have asked for a mouth protector to cushion the blow created when the bike is slammed down on hard, rugged terrain," he said.
Amateur athletics, including football, has also been a focus of Dr. Ranalli's efforts lately. He has published three major studies on the effect college football referees and coaches have on whether football players wear mouth protectors. Although college football requires players to wear mouth protectors, compliance is heavily influenced by the coaches and referees.
"We found that even though a college football referee could assess a penalty or a time out to a team whose player was caught without a mouth protector, more often than not they did not penalize the team because they did not want to interfere with the game for something they view as relatively less significant," he said. Dr. Ranalli's presentation will also provide a primer on the three main categories of mouth protectors that are commonly used: stock mouthguards, boil and bite mouth protectors, and custom-fitted mouth protectors.
"The best mouthguard is the one that will be used," he said. "However, it's important to know the pros and cons of each of the three mouth protectors."
Stock mouth protector: This version is commonly available in sporting goods stores, and the athlete merely takes it out of the package and puts it in his or her mouth and begins the activity. These are inexpensive but may be bulky and restrict the ability to communicate or breathe.
Boil and bite: Also commonly available in many sporting goods stores and frequently distributed by schools. This version requires that the athlete put the mouth protector in water to soften it up before molding it to their mouth. Dr. Ranalli recommends that if athletes use this type, they have their dentist mold it. Many young athletes do not follow the manufacturer's instructions closely enough and end up creating an ill-fitting mouth protector.
Custom-fitted mouthguard: Most athletes tell Dr. Ranalli the custom-fitted mouthguard is comfortable and allows for easier communication and breathing. Many people balk at the higher price for these, but Dr. Ranalli says the precise clinical and laboratory work required to make the mold to the specifications of the athlete's mouth is necessary to ensure a proper fit. "Many parents will not hesitate to spend hundreds of dollars for hockey equipment to protect most of the child's body parts and then pay $2 for a mouth protector."
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