Protection From Sports Injuries
Mouth guards are mouth protectors, designed to protect your mouth, teeth, and soft tissue from trauma or injury. One major purpose of using these devices is for added protection against sports injuries. They have many oral health advantages and come in several types.
Mouth guards are worn over the teeth, generally covering the upper teeth only, however, the lower teeth can also use a similar mouth guard if your dentist recommends. This is in cases you are wearing braces or other fixed dental appliances.
Athletic mouth guards provide many oral health benefits for those who engage in active sports. Mouth guards prevent breakage of teeth, as well as prevent tooth displacement or tooth loss. They protect the mouth against concussions, tears, bruises, not only to the teeth, gums, the tongue, the lips, and lining of the cheek, but also protects the jaw from breakage.
It can be considered part of the athletic gear and is standard equipment for those that play collision and contact sports, like boxing, where risks for injuries are higher. They also are helpful for non-contact sports players like gymnasts and skaters.
There are a few types of sports mouth guards. There’s the stock mouth guards. They are ready to wear, inexpensive preformed protectors readily available at sporting goods stores as well as regular department stores. They may or may not fit the wearer and may cause some breathing and talking discomfort. Dentists do not generally recommend them.
Boil and bite mouth guards are also readily bought at sports outlets, and they provide a much better fit. As they are made from thermoplastic material that need to be softened first in hot water. Then they can be molded and shaped in the mouth and around your teeth by just using your fingers and your tongue.
Customized mouth guards are dentist-recommended and are designed to fit the individual’s specifications. Your dentist takes your mouth impression and can be molded in the dental clinic or sent to a dental lab. It uses a special material and requires effort and time. Hence, they can be more expensive. However, they provide an exact fit with matching better protection and comfort.
Preventing Dental Injuries in Lynnwood
Over at Lynnwood Song Dental, we recommend and make mouth guards that are a perfect fit, comfortable, durable, and easy to clean. Come see us for a consultation.
