When gearing up for sports practice or a game, you wouldn’t think of hitting the field or rink without your uniform. For contact sports like football or hockey, a helmet and pads are essential. However, neglecting to use a sports mouth guard during practices and matches means missing out on a crucial piece of protective gear. Each year, an estimated 13-39% of all dental injuries occur while playing sports. Since mouthguards became mandatory in American football, around 200,000 mouth and teeth injuries have been prevented annually. But the risk of dental injury isn’t limited to contact sports. Recent studies reveal that basketball players are now more likely to suffer injuries to the face, mouth, and teeth than football players. In these sports, contact often comes from the ball, ground, hoop, or other surfaces rather than other players, which is why mouthguards are not yet required by most schools and teams.