Is a Mouth Guard Safe for Your Teeth

Feb 01, 2022

Mouthguards are protective devices worn over your teeth to safeguard your teeth from injuries. Mouthguards act as a cushion minimizing impacts of trauma or blows to the face. Therefore they lower the risk of broken teeth, injuries to the lips, face, tongue, or jaw. Your upper teeth are more vulnerable than their counterparts in the lower jaw. Therefore, mouthguards are vital to protect against potential injuries when participating in organized sports and various traditional activities.

Who Should Use Mouthguards?

Adults and children at risk of dental injuries are recommended to wear mouthguards. Mouthguards are also beneficial for sportspersons involved in contact sports such as football, hockey, soccer, boxing, and basketball. Wearing mouthguards also helps sportspersons participate in non-contact sports like gymnastics, mountain biking, and skating.

Mouthguards help people affected by bruxism, a condition causing teeth grinding and clenching. Adults or children involved in teeth grinding should wear a mouthguard before heading to bed. The mouthguard, also called night guards, lowers the impact of grinding by distributing pressure across the jaw. Besides protecting the teeth from damage due to grinding, mouthguards also help reduce the grinding noises people make when sleeping.

Types of Mouthguards You Can Choose

Various types of mouthguards are available in the market. Generally, rubber or plastic helps make mouthguards you can purchase mouthguards from pharmacists or sports goods stores. However, if you desire a proper fit, you must have one custom-made from the dentist in Kitchener providing customized mouthguards.

The variety of mouthguards available in the market include:

• Stock Mouthguards: Stock mouthguards cost fewer dollars and customized appliances created by your dentist. These appliances are prefabricated and ready to wear. However, they are bulky and make talking and breathing challenging. In addition, they do not offer a proper fit and provide minimal protection.
• Boil and Bite Mouthguards: Boil and bite mouthguards are also affordable than customized mouthguards. They are available from various drugstores and sports goods stores. Boil and bite mouthguards fit better than stock mouthguards. However, the devices require boiling to soften them before inserting them in your mouth and allowing the appliance to adapt to the shape of your teeth. Therefore, you must follow the instructions of the manufacturer and prefer purchasing mouthguards approved by the ADA.
• Customized Mouthguards: Customized mouthguards are custom created by a dentist for specific patients. The appliances are expensive than stock mouthguards or the boil and bite variety. However, they provide the best fit and comfort because they are explicitly created for the patient’s mouth.

Risk of Mouth Guards

When you protect your teeth with mouthguards, the only risk you encounter is not seeking treatments from emergency dentists because you accidentally broke a tooth or damaged it due to impacts. So long as you maintain your dental appliance in proper condition without contaminating them, the mouthguards will likely not pose any risk. In reality, they are created as protectors of your teeth and mouth and serve the purpose appropriately. Unfortunately, you expose yourself to the dangers of mouthguards when you continue using them even after they have suffered wear and tear and are no longer in shape to protect your teeth.

Caring for Mouth Guards

Caring for a customized mouthguard is essential because of the higher prices you pay for the dental appliance. It doesn’t mean stock mouthguards are disposable immediately after wear. However, if you want to safeguard your investment, you must care for the customized mouthguard using the tips mentioned in this article.

• Rinse your athletic mouthguard with cold water or mouth rinse before and after every use or clean it with mild soap and a toothbrush.
• Clean the dental appliance in cool soapy water and rinse it thoroughly.
• Store the mouthguard in a perforated container when transporting it. The perforated container permits air circulation to help prevent damage. If your customized mouthguard is acrylic, store it in clean water.
• Mouthguards are better protected from high temperatures like hot water, hot surfaces, or direct sunlight to minimize distortion of their shape.
• Check the mouthguard for general wear and tear, and if you find any or the mouthpiece becomes loose, get a replacement immediately.
• Take your mouthguard to your six-monthly dental visits to have your dentist examine it.

Instead of falling prey to mouth injuries, please contact Monarch Dentistry to have a customized mouthguard created explicitly for your mouth to offer maximum protection.