How does a mouthguard help prevent concussions?

Question

how does a mouthguard help prevent concussions

Answer 1

I know it does in American Football. The idea is when the mouth is concentrated holding the mouth guard in, a hit is better absorbed by the body. No mouth guard, the body is more relaxed and a hit can cause more of  jarring to the head.

Answer 2

no dont be stupid it protects your teeth

if u wanna protect your head wear a head gear

Answer 3

There is no scientific proof that mouthguards prevent concussion.

There are theories that they do here are two of them;

http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/mk...

http://www.sportsdentistry.com/concussio...

Answer 4

Talk about mouthguards often comes

up in the world of contact sports. But what

does a mouthguard do? People often think

it’s just a bothersome hunk of plastic that

protects your teeth from getting knocked

out. Well, you’re right, but there is more to

it than that. Professionals believe there are

several good reasons all athletes – professional

and amateur – should wear a mouthguard.

So your teeth don’t get knocked out.

So you don’t bite your tongue or

cheek, which would hurt.

So you don’t suffer a concussion if

you get hit in the jaw.

If you take a hit to the jaw, chances are

it’s lights out. Getting knocked out could

very well mean a concussion.

“Mouthguards are vital in the world of

sports. Mouthguards help prevent injury

to the teeth and oral cavity but also are a

factor in minimizing complications from

concussions,” says Cathie Mazal-Kuula,

President of the College of Dental

Hygienists of Ontario.

Who should wear a mouthguard? The

College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario

thinks mouthguards are important in minimizing

injuries that may occur in sports

such as ice hockey, field hockey, football,

boxing, baseball, basketball, wrestling,

lacrosse or rugby.

A mouthguard can really help prevent

jaw fractures, which, if you get one, is not

going to make you very happy. The

mouthguard acts as a cushion between the

upper and lower teeth or gums, helping

prevent dislocation and other very painful

injuries.

It’s very important to clean your

mouthguard with soap and warm water.

Keep it in a case with lots of holes to dry

otherwise it will develop lots of bacteria.

And don’t cut it or chew on it. That means

you can’t just leave it attached to your

hockey mask all season and forget about it.

Types of mouthguards.

Stock or ready made. These mouthguards

are made of rubber and sometimes

don’t fit very well making it hard to talk

and breathe.

Boil and bite. You heat these mouthguards

in warm water, and then you bite

down into it and make an impression.

Custom made. These mouthguards

are a bit more expensive because they are

made exactly for your teeth and mouth.

A lot of kids wear braces these days.

A properly fitted mouthguard is important

because a blow to the face could very well

damage the brackets on your teeth. If you

have a retainer do not wear it during any

contact sports.

Scott Symons is my coach from

Faustina Sports Hockey Club in

Etobicoke, Ontario. His experience coaching

hockey is that even though all kids

have to wear face guards, mouthguards are

very useful. Scott says, “ I recommend

kids start using mouthguards when they

start playing competitive sports, and even

when they go leisure skating. A mouthguard

can save a person from injury and

losing teeth that are hard to replace.

mouthguards can also help prevent you

from swallowing your tongue.”

Although some kids think that its cool

not to wear a mouthguard, Scott points out

that as you grow older you realize your

teeth are far more important than

looking cool in your uniform.