Tackling Concussions Head On
As a parent, we want the absolute best for our children. As they grow and become more involved in activities we not only want them to have fun, we want them to be safe too. It seems one sport in particular is always under the radar when it comes to safety: football. Parents, school officials and researchers are actively looking for ways to better protect children from injury, specifically concussions or mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI).
Dr. Jackson Winders, DDS is a pediatric dentist who also served as a high school and collegiate football official for 28 years. He believes that despite new technology in helmet design and the use of over-the-counter (OTC) mouthguards, a custom made, and properly fitted mouthguard is essential to player safety.
Recently, 412 high school football players from six different schools were chosen to participate in a study. Two hundred and twenty athletes were randomly assigned to wear custom-made mouthguards and 192 athletes wore standard OTC mouthguards of their choosing. All players wore the same style of helmet. According to the study, 8.3 percent of athletes using the OTC mouthguard suffered MTBI /concussion injuries. For those with custom-made mouthguards, the rate was only 3.6 percent.
“The benefits of protecting your child far outweigh the costs associated with a dental or medical injury, which is likelier to occur with a store-bought model.”
Previous studies have theorized that mouthguards can reduce concussion risk because they help absorb shock, stabilize the head and neck and limit movement caused by a direct hit to the jaw.
Together we can tackle concussions head on. If you have a football player in your family (or someone involved in another contact sport) stop by our office to see what your options are available to you. We would love to help!
For more information see “Role of mouthguards in reducing mild traumatic brain injury/concussion incidence in high school football athletes,” in the May/June 2014 issue of General Dentistry
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