Renaissance Distributes 10,000 Mouth Guards To New Jersey YMCAs

More than 3 million teeth will be knocked out this year at youth sporting events. The sad reality is most kids do not take the proper precautions when it comes to protecting their mouths. That’s why Renaissance Dental, a leading ancillary insurance carrier of customizable dental and vision plans, has stepped up to make sure kids in New Jersey are protected. “We are committed to the oral health of our customers, and that starts with the children,” said Rob Mulligan, president and CEO of Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Company of America. “I’m very happy we are able to help thousands of kids in New Jersey as they take the field this fall.” Renaissance, one of the few dental providers licensed to sell group and individual policies in all 50 states, donated over 10,000 mouth guards to 26 YMCAs in New Jersey and around the country as part of its Guard Their Grins campaign. The effort will make it easy for kids around the state to protect their smiles as they play sports this fall. “Our top priority is preventative care, and wearing a mouth guard is the best thing a child can do to prevent an injury to their mouth while playing sports,” said Mulligan. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry 67 percent of parents admit their children don’t wear mouth guards during organized sports. These are surprising numbers, considering wearing a mouth guard makes kids 60 percent less likely to suffer damage to their teeth. “People often think of mouth guards for football, but they should really be worn for all contact sports,” said Dr. Jed Jacobson, chief science officer of Renaissance Life & Health Insurance and the director of the Renaissance Dental Research and Data Institute. “Not only do mouth guards save teeth; they also protect the jaws of children from serious injury.”