Mouth guards are an example of which level of prevention?

• A. Primary
• B. Secondary
• C. Tertiary
• D. Quaternary

Answer: (A)

Preventing injury before it happens is the aim of primary prevention. Mouth guards are worn to stop dental and soft-tissue injuries from impacts during sports by absorbing and distributing force, so they reduce the chance of injury occurring in the first place. Secondary prevention would involve identifying injuries early to prevent progression, which isn’t the function of mouth guards. Tertiary prevention focuses on reducing disability after an injury has already occurred, through rehabilitation, which again isn’t what mouth guards do. Quaternary prevention relates to avoiding unnecessary or harmful medical interventions. Since the purpose here is to prevent an injury before it happens, mouth guards exemplify primary prevention.