Saddle up! It’s rodeo season and South Dakota has some of the best of our official state sport.

Whether it’s barrel racing, calf roping, or bull riding, wearing a mouthguard lessens the chance of oral injuries.

It’s crucial to protect your smile. Anyone participating in a sport with a risk of falling or your head making contact with another player should wear a mouthguard. This includes sports such as rodeo, soccer, basketball, football, and hockey.

3 reasons to sport a mouthguard:

1. A mouthguard helps absorb the shock from a blow to the face that might otherwise result in an injury to the mouth or jaw;

2. It can limit the risk for chipped or broken teeth, internal damage to a tooth, tooth loss, and even a broken jaw; and

3. A mouthguard can protect the soft tissues of your cheek lining, tongue, and lips.

If you’re an athlete, make sure to protect your smile! And, if you’re a parent of young competitors, make sure your children practice with a mouthguard. Remind them that the professionals use mouth protection, and they should too!

Have a happy and safe rodeo season!