‘Don’t take risks with mouth protection’
A WIDNES dentist has reminded young people to wear mouth protection while playing sport.
Matt Lawler is the practice principal and lead clinician at Peelhouse Dental Care.
Also a mixed martial arts fan, he was surprised to learn of serious risks young people unwittingly take with their teeth playing combat sports.
He has two sons, aged 11 and seven, and a ● daughter aged three.
He said: “The boys have recently taken up taekwondo, and my daughter can’t wait to join up too!
“However, I’ve learned that children and teenagers participating were wearing inappropriate mouth protection.”
Matt said it is a condition of competition that mouth protection is worn, but there is no stipulation what that constitutes.
He said: “Young people in and around Widnes, Runcorn and Merseyside are using cheap, off-theshelf products that I’d call ‘one size fits nobody’.
“Trust me, these things are very dangerous – they can make injuries worse and even be swallowed.
“In my opinion they need to be banned.”
Matt says the cost of making a custom-fitted bespoke appliance is no more than £30 to £100.
He added: “That’s cheap when you think the cost of replacing teeth can run into thousands of pounds, not to mention lengthy treatment.”
Matt has made all participants at a club in Whiston, where his children attend, custom-made mouth guards for free so they stop using the poor quality, heat-mounded guards.
He is now hoping to spread the message further across Halton.