Every April, National Facial Protection Month strives to raise public awareness and remind parents, caregivers, coaches, and athletes to play it safe while playing sports. Hook Orthodontics would like to take the time this month to remind our athletes to wear a mouthguard during recreational and organized sports. A mouthguard is used to protect your mouth from injury when you are participating in sports.   A mouthguard is an essential piece of athletic gear that should be part of your standard equipment from an early age when it comes to protecting your mouth. Mouthguards prevent injuries to the bone and tissues around the teeth. They also help prevent injuries to the lower jaw and temporomandibular joint in the jaw. A properly fitted mouthguard may be especially important for people who wear braces. A blow to the face could damage the brackets or other fixed orthodontic appliances. A mouthguard also provides a barrier between the braces and your cheek or lips