Dentist Fitted Mouthguards
Sports and active activities are a great way to keep healthy. With the fast pace of many sports and activities injuries can be a concern. Dental Mouthguards are a great way to protect your teeth against painful and expensive dental injuries.
Mouthguard Safety Benefits:
A well-fitting mouthguard can help absorb the shock of an accidental blow to the mouth.
Mouthguards can help protect you against:
- Tooth fractures which can lead to root canals
- Jaw injuries by helping absorb and dissipate force
- Damaged orthodontic brackets if you wear braces
- Damage to your cheeks, tongue, lips and soft tissue in and around your facial and dental area
- Damage to your jaw and head by absorbing impact
- Although studies have been mixed in the mouthguard’s ability to protect against concussions, experts do recommend wearing mouthguards in case they do provided added protection against impact.
Mouthguard Statistics:
A well-fitting mouthguard can help absorb the shock of an accidental blow to the mouth.
Mouthguards can help protect you against:
- Only 5.5% of school children wore protective mouthguards
- Sports accidents reportedly account for 10-39 percent of all dental injuries in children
- Mouthguards have been shown to lower sports related dental/facial injuries by as much as 60 times
- Before the use of facemasks and mouthguards, over 50% injuries to football players were dental or facial injuries. After implementing them, facial and dental injuries account for only 1% of football injuries
Mouthguards are Recommended to be during the following Sports & Activities:
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Gymnastics
- Hockey
- Rugby
- Soccer
- Softball
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
- Racquetball
- Squash
- Bicycling
- Skateboarding
- Rollerskating
- Weightlifting
- Paintball
Important Things to Look for In Your Mouthguard:
- Fit – your mouthguard should not slip out when you speak and should not prevent breathing.
- Wear & Tear – watch out for wear and shredding on your mouthguard that can decrease it’s ability to protect you.
- Keep it Clean – wash it after each use and thoroughly clean if white spots are observed.
Caring for Your Mouthguard
- Rinse your mouth guard with cold water or with a mouth rinse before and after each use and/or clean it with toothpaste and a toothbrush.
- Occasionally clean the mouth guard in cool, soapy water and rinse it thoroughly.
- Place the mouth guard in a firm, perforated container to store or transport it. This permits air circulation and helps to prevent damage.
- Protect the mouth guard from high temperatures – such as hot water, hot surfaces, or direct sunlight – to minimize distorting its shape.
- Occasionally check the mouth guard for general wear. If you find holes or tears in it or if it becomes loose or causes discomfort, replace it.
More Ways a Mouthguard Can Help You?
Mouthguards can also help you in other ways. For individuals who snore at night or experience jaw soreness or grind their teeth; a custom fitted mouthguard can help remedy and protect you.
Bruxism or Teeth Clenching & Grinding
Many adults tend to grind or clench their teeth during the day and some even at night. This is called Bruxism and can severely damage your tooth’s enamel as well as causing headaches and jaw discomfort. A mouthguard can help protect the teeth from this clenching and help distribute the force from grinding to alleviate some of the pressure on the jaw.
Snoring
For individuals who snore at night, a mouthguard can help. A specially created mouthguard helps remedy snoring by changing position of the jaw slightly. This change in position improves the airflow and reduces blockage that causes the snoring noise.
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder or TMD/TMJ
People experiencing temporomandibular joint disorder or TMD may hear their jaw joints pop and click when opening and closing. Symptoms may include sore jaws muscles, headaches, and spasms or aches in the jaw area. To help alleviate the pressure, a specially fitted mouthguard can be created to help relieve and distribute tension on the jaw joints.
Healthy Community Program:
For those looking to create a dentist fitted mouthguard we currently offer them under our healthy community program. Inquire today by calling us at 289.656.0599 or sending us a message.