(HealthDay News) - As vital as a helmet is to protecting an athlete's head, a mouth guard can help defend against injury to the mouth and teeth.

The California Dental Association offers these additional reasons for why mouth guards are important:

• Injuries to the mouth are very common in both contact sports (basketball, football, hockey) and non-contact sports (baseball, biking and skateboarding).
• Mouth guards help prevent injuries such as fractured jaw, broken teeth, damage to roots and nerves of the teeth, and serious cuts to the cheek and tongue.
• Mouth guards help provide a cushion for the mouth, jaw and teeth.