Imagine what it would be like if you suddenly lost one or two of your front teeth. Smiling, talking, eating — everything would suddenly be affected. Knowing how to prevent injuries to your mouth and face is especially important if you participate in organized sports or other recreational activities. Mouthguards, also called mouth protectors, help cushion a blow to the face, minimizing the risk of broken teeth and injuries to your lips, tongue, face or jaw. They typically cover the upper teeth and are a great way to protect the soft tissues of your tongue, lips and cheek lining. We take a look at why mouthguards are necessary and why you should be using one.
When Should You Wear a Mouthguard?
When it comes to protecting your mouth, a mouthguard is an essential piece of athletic gear that should be part of your standard equipment from an early age. When participating in high-impact, low-impact and even no-impact sports, players are at risk of a variety of dental injuries: lip and cheek lacerations, chipped or broken teeth, tooth root damage, fractured jaws and even concussions. Wearing a mouth guard reduces the chance of even the most common dental injury by up to sixty times. Mouth guards are only mandatory in organized body-contact sports such as football and boxing, as well as hockey and other sports where the injury risk is inherently high, but most athletes can still benefit from the protection they offer. Players on team sports can make contact with one another, whereas individual sports like snowboarding can cause injury to the same degree by falling. Flying balls, rackets and other hard equipment can also produce serious dental injuries.
How a Mouth Guard Protects
A mouth guard effectively absorbs the force of impact to the mouth area before this force reaches the teeth. Made of a resilient and forgiving material, it covers and protects the upper teeth, but offers protection to the mouth, gums and jaw as well. When an object or person strikes the face, or a player falls against a hard surface, his or her mouth guard redistributes the force of the impact, and the energy dissipates without causing significant injury.
Types of Mouthguards
The best mouthguard is one that has been custom made for your mouth by your dentist. However, if you can’t afford a custom-made mouthguard, you should still wear a stock mouthguard or a boil-and-bite mouthguard. Learn more about each option:
• Custom-made: These are individually designed and made in a dental office or a professional laboratory based on your dentist’s instructions. First, your dentist will make an impression of your teeth and a mouth guard is then molded over the model using a special material. Due to the use of the special material and because of the extra time and work involved, this custom-made mouth guard is more expensive than the other types, but it provides the most comfort and protection.
• Boil and bite: These mouth protectors can be bought at many sporting goods stores and drugstores and may offer a better fit than stock mouth protectors. They are first softened in boiled water, then inserted and allowed to adapt to the shape of your mouth. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Stock: These are inexpensive and come pre-formed, ready to wear. Unfortunately, they often don’t fit very well. They can be bulky and can make breathing and talking difficult.
Protecting Your Braces
A properly fitted mouthguard may be especially important for people who wear braces or have fixed bridge work. A blow to the face could damage the brackets or other fixed orthodontic appliances. A mouthguard also provides a barrier between the braces and your cheek or lips, which will help you avoid injuries to your gums and cheeks. Talk to your dentist or orthodontist about selecting a mouthguard that will provide the right protection. Although some mouthguards only cover the upper teeth, your dentist or orthodontist may suggest that you use a mouthguard on the lower teeth if you have braces on these teeth too. It is important that if you have a retainer or other removable appliance that they are not worn during any contact sports.
Mouthguard Care and Replacement
Talk to your dentist about when is the right time to replace your mouthguard, but replace it immediately if it shows sign of wear, is damaged or ill fitting. Teens and children may need to replace their mouthguards more often because their mouths are still growing and changing. Between games, it’s important to keep your mouthguard clean and dry. Here are some tips for making sure your mouthguard is always ready to go:
• Rinse before and after each use or brush with a toothbrush and toothpaste.
• Regularly clean the mouthguard in cool, soapy water. Then, rinse it thoroughly.
• During your regular dental checkups, bring your mouthguard for an evaluation. Your dentist may also be able to give it a thorough cleaning.
• Store and transport the mouthguard in a sturdy container that has vents so it can dry and keep bacteria from growing.
• Never leave the mouthguard in the sun or in hot water.
• Check fit and for signs of wear and tear to see if it needs replacing.
• Some mouthguards have fallen victim to family pets, who see them as chew toys. Store your mouthguard and case somewhere your pet cannot get to it.
If you have any questions about mouthguards, call Winning Smiles to schedule an appointment with your dentist – 716-332-2444.