Athletic Mouth Guards—Protect More than the Teeth

A couple of weeks ago Michael Vick suffered a concussion and tongue laceration. Why? Other than being overrun by a 300 lb lineman, he chose not to wear a protective mouth guard. Protective mouth guards should be worn in any contact sport and at every age. In addition to protecting the teeth from fracture or loss, mouth guards are important for avoiding/minimizing brain trauma. Inexpensive mouth guards can be purchased at many stores and custom guards can be made by your dentist.