Delta Dental of Oklahoma (DDOK) and its Foundation have been making a significant impact by increasing the availability of free mouthguards to youth baseball and softball players in Oklahoma. This year, through strategic partnerships with the Oklahoma City Comets and Tulsa Drillers baseball clubs, the initiative has reached new heights. A limited number of these essential mouthguards are still accessible for young athletes in these sports.

Protecting Young Athletes' Grins with Free Mouthguards

Partnerships for a Safer Game

Amanda Bray, DDOK's director of marketing and government affairs, shared that while the Foundation typically provides free mouthguards for football players, this year they have shifted their focus to other sports. "We recognized the need to expand distribution among various sports and worked closely with the two Oklahoma clubs to create successful collaborations. This has allowed us to reach a wider audience of youth baseball and softball players," Bray said.The Tulsa Drillers' vice president of sales, Jennifer Carthel, emphasized the critical role of mouthguards in preventing oral injuries. "Oral injuries are unfortunately common among baseball and softball players, yet many do not wear mouthguards. Our partnership with DDOK aims to inspire more kids to protect their smiles during practice and games," she explained.

Statistics on Oral Injuries in Youth Sports

According to the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation, a staggering over three million teeth are knocked out each year in youth sports. Athletes who do not wear mouthguards are a whopping 60 times more likely to suffer dental damage. This highlights the importance of providing these protective devices to young athletes.Ryan Vanlow, the director of corporate partnerships at the OKC Comets, shared the impact of their efforts. "Through little league game nights, youth skill clinics, and promotional materials, we have been able to distribute over a thousand mouthguards and the count is still rising. We are proud to partner with DDOK to promote mouthguard usage among young baseball and softball players," he said.Parents and coaches of youth baseball and softball players can still obtain mouthguards by contacting the Rookie League Foundation at 405-218-2165 or by emailing ryan.vanlow@okccomets.com. The offer remains valid until the end of the year or while supplies last.In 2024 alone, DDOK and its Foundation distributed more than 55,000 mouthguards to young athletes. And with the reopening of mouthguard orders for all sports in Spring 2025, the initiative will continue to make a difference.For more information, visit DDOKFoundation.org/mouthguards.