Today's young athlete can choose from a variety of sports safety equipment to protect life and limb. Helmets, knee pads, safety goggles, face masks and mouthguards help prevent serious injury on the playing field. Mouthguards, also called mouth protectors, are particularly important in protecting a teen's smile.

Athletic mouth protectors (also referred to as mouth guards) are soft plastic appliances worn in the mouth to prevent damage to teeth. They are made to fit comfortably to the shape of the teeth. They are available in "off the shelf" versions and custom-made mouth guards that fit only the individual they were made for. These custom-made versions are made from impressions of the individual's teeth.

In recent years, mouth guards have become more and more prevalently used during sports activities. In addition to the teeth, they also protect the tongue, cheeks, lips and jaw. Statistics show that oral injuries are greatly reduced when athletes wear them. More and more organized sports are requiring their use and appropriately so.

As mentioned, both over-the-counter and custom mouth guards are available. Either kind is better than none. The least effective mouth guard is the one that your child doesn't wear! Youngsters sometimes tend not to wear units that feel too bulky, fit improperly or excessively impair speech.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that anyone engaging in active sports wear a mouthguard. Some active sports include football, basketball, soccer, hockey, skateboarding and volleyball. There are many other sports that also have the potential to seriously harm the head, face or mouth as a result of head-to-head contact, falls, tooth clenching or from impact with equipment. A well-constructed mouthguard used during any of these sports can help prevent injury to the mouth, teeth, lips, cheeks and tongue.