April 13 (iVillage Total Health) -- Now that the spring sports season has begun, dentists are urging their patients to make a habit of wearing mouth guards to protect their teeth during sports and recreational activities.

Mouth guards are flexible plastic devices that protect the teeth and mouth from injury during athletics and other activities. More than 200,000 mouth and jaw injuries are reported each year, according to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). People wear the guards when playing a wide variety of sports, including football, hockey, boxing, basketball, baseball, soccer, gymnastics, volleyball, wrestling, lacrosse and rugby.

April is National Youth Sports Safety Month and the AGD and many dentists are stressing the importance of wearing mouth protection. The AGD estimates that lifetime expenses for replacing a lost tooth can reach $15,000.

"There are three reasons most people don't wear mouth guards: cost, the 'headache factor' and image," Dr. David Kumamoto, team dentist for the University of Illinois-Chicago Athletic Department, said in a press release. "What people fail to realize is how many serious injuries such as concussions, jaw fractures and neck injuries are prevented by mouth guards."

There are three basic types of mouth guards:

• Stock mouth guards. Preformed devices that usually do not fit well. Most experts do not consider them as protective as other types of mouth guards.

• Boil-and-bite mouth guards. Made of acrylic gel or thermoplastic materials. The wearer dips the mouth guard into a pot of boiled water before fitting it around the teeth.

• Custom-fitted mouth guards. Made by a dentist and designed to precisely accommodate an individual's bite.

"Of the three types of mouth guards that are currently available, a custom-made mouth guard by your dentist offers the best protection, fit and comfort level because it is made from a cast to fit your teeth," Kumamoto said. "Boil-and-bite guards are available at sporting goods stores and are less expensive than custom-made guards, however the fit is not as good and it will not last as long. A stock mouth guard, the least expensive choice, offers the least protection since little can be done to adjust the fit. However, even the least expensive mouth guard is better than none."

A fourth type of protection, called a laboratory pressure laminated mouth guard, is recommended by some dentists as a more advanced custom-made guard. It is made by taking several sheets of ethyl vinyl acetate material and using a pressure machine to mold them into the shape of the athlete's mouth.

If your tooth is injured, the steps used to save it differ depending on the nature of the injury. Injuries to permanent teeth require quick action to try to save the tooth. If the tooth is chipped or broken, the patient should collect all the pieces and make sure no part of the tooth is embedded in the lips, tongue or gums. Rinse the mouth with warm water and hold a cold compress to the injured area for 10 minutes. Call a dentist right away and proceed as advised.

If a permanent tooth is partially knocked out, try to gently but firmly push it back into place. If the tooth is completely knocked out, pick up the tooth by the crown at the top, not by the root of the tooth. The tooth should be rinsed (but not scrubbed) in saline (water and salt) solution or milk, which is chemically similar to a tooth. The tooth can also be soaked in a cup with the solution.

If the tooth is rinsed over a sink, make sure to plug up the drain of the sink to prevent the tooth from being lost. Water can be used, but only as a last resort because it contains chlorine that can damage the root of the tooth.

If possible, gently replace the tooth in the socket to preserve it during the trip to the dentist. Then, bite down on a gauze pad until reaching the dentist. If the tooth cannot be replaced in this way, place it in a glass of milk. Patients also can preserve the tooth properly by placing it inside their mouths between the cheek and gum. As a last resort, the tooth can be placed in a mild saltwater solution (1/4 teaspoon of salt to 1 quart of water) or wrapped in tissue.

Copyright 2007 iVillage Total Health.