Young athletes throughout Tennessee are sporting green grins thanks to a generous donation by Delta Dental of Tennessee. In 2009, Delta Dental donated more than 18,000 mouth guards to youth football and hockey players throughout the state.

“Athletes aren’t fully suited up unless they have their mouth guard in place,” said Dr. Phil Wenk, D.D.S., president and CEO of Delta Dental of Tennessee. “Mouth guards prevent injuries to the mouth and teeth, and can protect against concussions.”

According to the American Dental Association, sports-related injuries knock out two million teeth per year, and athletes are 60 times more likely to suffer harm to the teeth when not wearing a mouth guard.

Delta Dental of Tennessee provided “boil-and-bite” mouth guards, a type of mouth guard that is boiled in hot water and molded to an individual’s mouth. With all the sports equipment that parents have to purchase year after year, a mouth guard (not to mention the safety of their kids’ teeth) is one less thing for them to worry about.

To find out more about Delta Dental of Tennessee’s mouth guard donation, visit their Web page at http://www.deltadentaltn.com/NewsMedia/news.asp?ID=63