An athletic mouth guard is a tough, custom-fitted appliance worn over the upper teeth. It acts as a shock absorber, distributing the force of an impact across the jaw and away from the teeth, lips, and tongue as explained by a general dentistry dentist. In this blog post, we will discuss the types and benefits of athletic mouthguards.
Types of Mouth Guards
There are two main types of mouthguards:
- Custom-fitted mouth guards: These are created by a dentist using a mold of your teeth. They offer the best fit and comfort but are generally more expensive than store-bought options.
- Boil-and-bite mouth guards: These come pre-formed and can be molded to your teeth by boiling them briefly and then biting down on them. While less expensive than custom-fitted guards, they may offer different levels of comfort and protection.
- Stock mouthguards: These pre-made mouthguards are available in standard sizes and shapes and can be purchased at sporting goods stores. While affordable and readily available, stock mouthguards offer the least protection and may not fit properly, leading to discomfort and impaired breathing.
Benefits of Using Mouth Guards
- Protection from Fractures: One of the primary reasons dentists promote mouthguards to parents and players is the high rate of dental bone fractures caused by athletic activities. These fractures can result from injuries to the jaw or teeth, both of which may require surgery to fix. A simple and inexpensive fix that can cushion the force and stop these accidents from damaging teeth or causing discomfort is mouthguards.
- Prevents Concussions: Mouthguards may also prevent concussions as they absorb shock and limit jaw movement.
- Reduces Risk of Dislodged Teeth: Using a mouth guard helps significantly reduce the potential of a tooth being knocked out during sports.
- Decreases Chance of Soft Tissue and Blood Vessel Damage: A well-fitting customized mouth guard can help prevent common injuries from falling, such as biting one’s tongue, face, or lip. The guard’s thickness and fit over the top teeth restrict the wearer’s ability to bite down on anything other than the guard. A quality mouthguard is one item that every athlete should always have clean and ready for use.
- Avoids Root Damage: It is essential to prevent root damage while playing sports. Root damage may lead to restricted blood flow to the tooth, which may result in tooth loss. A mouth guard helps in protecting the root.
Using athletic mouthguards is an easy and practical approach to protect your teeth when playing sports. You may reduce your chance of suffering tooth injuries by using a mouth guard that fits properly, giving you the confidence to concentrate on the game.