Mouthguards

Sports and other vigorous activities help you maintain or improve your health. They teach teamwork and perseverance. Besides that, they are fun. However, any physical activity can cause damage to your teeth. Accidents can happen whenever you are engaged in activities that require you to move quickly, especially those where there is physical contact with other players. Mouthguards can solve this problem by protecting your teeth from injuries.

Who Needs Them?

Everyone who participates in physically demanding activities needs to were a mouthguard to protect their teeth, including:
• Children in youth football, baseball, hockey and soccer teams.
• Adults doing vigorous activities
• People who wear braces and want to stay active
• People participating in contact sports
• People participating in fast-moving noncontact sports
• People doing risky activities like mountain climbing
• Anyone whose dentist recommends it

Mouthguards Protect

An entire range of physical injuries can happen in sports and other physical activities. The following is only a partial list of accidents that can happen if you do not protect your teeth and mouth with a mouthguard.
• Chipped teeth
• Broken teeth
• Fractured crowns
• Broken bridges
• Lip and cheek injuries
• Tooth root damage
• Fractured jaw

Professionally Custom-Fitted

Mouthguards custom-fitted by your dentist are the only ones you can truly rely on to keep your mouth and teeth safe. Yes, you can buy over-the-counter boil and bite mouthguards. The problem is that they don’t hold up to wear, don’t fit your mouth well enough, and don’t provide the firm support you need.
Your dentist can examine your teeth and make impressions of them to create a mouthguard ideally suited to your mouth. When the mouthguard arrives, your dentist checks it for fit and makes any minor adjustments needed so it is perfectly fitted for you and only you.

Mouthguards and Braces

You can and should wear a mouthguard if you wear braces and participate in sports and risky activities. While a mouthguard for most people only covers the upper teeth, the dentist prepares mouthguards that cover both upper and lower teeth for people with braces.

Caring for Your Mouthguard

Your mouthguard gives you the best protection and lasts the longest possible if you take care of it properly. Talk to your dentist and follow his instructions for cleaning and storing the mouthguard. Here are some of the standard recommendations, but you should always rely most on your dentist’s advice.
• Use cold water or a mouth rinse to clean your mouthguard before and after you wear it each time.
• Clean it regularly in soapy, warm water.
• Store the mouthguard in its own special container when not using it or when transporting it.
• Don’t expose the mouthguard to high temperatures such as hot water, or leaving it in the sunlight, in a hot car, or on a hot surface.
• Examine the mouthguard regularly for tears, holes and excessive wear.
• Bring the mouthguard along with you to the dentist so he can do a more thorough examination and ensure it still fits in a way the completely protects your mouth.