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Mouth Guards

Mouth guards are typically used to protect the mouth and teeth while playing sports, and also to protect teeth from grinding, usually while asleep. The best way to get the right guard for your teeth is to see your dentist . While you can buy Mouth guards at most any sporting goods store, dentists don’t recommend them.

Basically, they‚’re one-size fits all and they can‚’t be customized. They‚’re large and may cause you trouble with swallowing, breathing and talking. And if you have orthodontics like braces to protect, they‚’re not very adaptable.

Custom Mouth Guards

These mouth protectors are better than the stock mouth protectors found in sporting goods stores. You may be able to find these in a sporting goods store, but they‚’re also available in many discount and department stores. They cost a little more than a standard mouth guard, but the difference is well worth the higher cost.

Boil and bite guards are made from a type of plastic. They‚’re ‚”boiled‚” or put in very hot water so they become malleable. Then you bite into the guard so that it‚’s shaped perfectly around your teeth.

A dentist can offer you a mouth guard that‚’s perfectly custom-fitted from an impression the dentist takes of your teeth. These are the most expensive, but also the best fitting ones that offer the most protection.

Mouth guards are made for the upper teeth, but if you wear braces or have required orthodontic care for the lower jaw, a guard can be designed for lower teeth, too. A custom guard made by your dentist or orthodontist is the ideal protection because they‚’re even more perfectly suited to your mouth and your dental work than one you make at home.

If the guard is made to prevent you from grinding your teeth while you sleep, then a good fitting one made by your dentist will also ensure that it stays in place and doesn‚’t move while you shift in your sleep. These are often called bite splints or nocturnal bite plates. In some cases, dental insurance will help pay for mouth guards made by a professional.

Why Use Mouth Guards?

If you play sports, especially contact sports, mouth guards protect you in two ways. First, if you‚’re hit in the mouth by equipment or another player, the guard can help prevent your teeth from cutting into your tongue or lips, or any part of your mouth. While you‚’re going to have a swollen lip if you‚’re hit in the mouth with a hockey puck, a guard will keep your teeth from cutting the inside of your lips during impact.

At the same time, they can prevent the impact from causing a chipped, split or broken tooth. Because the guard holds the teeth firm, it can prevent a tooth being knocked loose and causing nerve damage, and prevent tooth loss. Mouth guards should be considered a necessary piece of sports equipment, especially if you have braces, bridges or expensive dental work that could be damaged, too.