SavingSmiles

How important to wear mouth guards when playing contact sports?

Mouth guards or sports guards offer unbeatable protection against sporting injuries to the teeth, jaw, neck and brain.  They protect from broken and damaged teeth and broken or dislocated jaws.  The America Dental Association (ADA) found more than 200,000 oral injuries are prevented each year by wearing a mouth guard.

A mouth guard is specially made, rubber-like cover, which fits exactly over your teeth and gums, cushioning them and protecting them from damage. Rather like you wearing a helmet when riding a bicycle, you wear your mouth guard whilst playing sports.

Which Mouthguard to Choose?

Self fit

A self-fit is designed for average size mouths that are heated up to mould to better fit the mouth.  They are better than nothing, and harder to wear as they do not stay on the teeth well and do not offer protection to the teeth and bones.

Custom fit

Custom-made mouth guards are professionally designed to cover all back teeth and cushion the entire jaw; they can prevent concussions caused by blows to the chin.  Custom made guards may be slightly more expensive than commercially produced mouthpieces, but they offer the best possible fit and protection.  They are more secure in the mouth and do not interfere with speech or breathing.

If your children play sports, make sure that their chance of suffering A dental injury is greatly reduced.  The ultimate protection comes from wearing a mouth guard, protective equipment available. Being safe and having fun should be the goal of every athlete in any sport!

What about shop sold mouthguards?

No. the ‘boil and bit’ types provide a false sense of protection and make it hard to breath and talk whilst in place.  The recommendation of the British Dental Association, the Rugby Football Union and the English Hockey Association is that only custom-fit mouth guards should be worn

How long does a mouth guard last?

Depending on your age, your mouth guard may need replacing fairly regularly.  If you are still growing, new teeth will come through and move into position.  So the mouth guard may become too tight or loose, and will need to be remade to fit the new shape of your mouth.

Adults may not need to have their mouth guards replaced quiet so often.  But they are like any other form of sports equipment and will suffer from wear and tear

How much do they cost

The cost of mouth guards is very low compared to treatment costs when a front tooth is damaged or lost.  A mouth guard costs £54.