Mouth Guard Policy
Mouth guards are commonly worn in sporting events where there is a serious risk of a blow to the mouth or jaw area resulting in trauma to the teeth and gums.
WHY MOUTH GUARDS SHOULD BE WORN
Mouth guards act as a shock absorber for teeth and jaw. Dental injuries are the most common type of mouth and facial injury in sport. Treatment of dental injuries can take many months and can be costly.
If players are involved in activities where they are at risk of a blow to the head or face from either opponents or equipment they should wear a mouth guard. A mouth guard can protect teeth, stop biting onto the lips and act as a cushioned layer between teeth to reduce the risk of concussion and jaw fracture
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TYPES OF MOUTHGUARDS
Stock mouth guards - These are a bulky gutter of rigid plastic available from pharmacies and sports stores. They are very uncomfortable, interfere with speech and breathing and because they are not firmly secured offer a false sense of protection.
Boil and Bite mouth guards - Pharmacies and sports shops also sell "boil and bite" mouth guards. They are made from a thermoplastic material, which is softened in hot water and then placed in the mouth to mould to the teeth as the guard is bitten. Like stock guards, they are cheap. They can be uncomfortable, and offer only limited protection. These are the most commonly used form of mouth guard in children?s rugby league.
Custom fitted mouth guards - A dental professional using an impression of the teeth from special shock absorbing plastic makes these. A custom fitted mouth guard fits a person's mouth perfectly. The accurate fit and control of the thickness maximizes the shock absorbing effect. They fit comfortably and won't interfere with breathing. However, a child?s mouth is constantly changing in size and shape and is not always practical to obtain such a mouth guard. A top quality custom-made mouth guard can be costly.
LATCHFORD ALBION UNICORN?S VIEWPOINT
Latchford Albion Unicorns endorses the wearing a mouth guard during any game of Rugby League. The club would like to see every player, irrespective of age or ability, wearing a mouth guard for every event.
Latchford Albion Unicorns also encourage all teams to utilize the wearing of mouth guards at training to encourage the use of these within the game situation and to enable the players to feel more comfortable wearing them.
All registered members have signed to say they acknowledge that the sport of Rugby League involves a high degree of physical contact and such contact can result in injury.
Latchford Albion Unicorns views on the subject of mouth guards are clear and unequivocal. ALL players should wear them in games and at training.