Sports Guard If you regularly participate in contact sports or activities where you are likely to injure your mouth, wearing a mouthguard can help a big deal. Many of the injuries people sustain when indulging in sports can be prevented by having gear such as helmets and mouthguards. A mouthguard can protect against chipped or fractured teeth, cut lips, knocked-out teeth, or injury to the jawbone. Besides, if you have braces or dentures on the bottom arch of teeth, you can get a mouthguard to provide protection for braces as well as the teeth. At Jerome Riddle DDS, we custom-make mouthguards to ensure proper fit and comfort besides optimal protection. Types of MouthguardsYou will come across three major types of sports mouth protectors. There are mouthguards you get in stores that are designed to be one-size-fits-it-all. They are called stock mouthguards and are pre-fabricated and ready to put in your mouth. However, they cannot offer adequate protection because they may not fit properly in the mouth. Boil-and-bite is a type of sports mouthguard that works by first putting it in boiling water to soften the plastic and then biting into it so that it fits in the mouth. Although better than stock mouthguards, boil-and-bite mouthguards do not provide a customized fit. A third type known as customized mouthguards are designed for your specific needs. Our dental office produces these mouthguards after obtaining an impression of your teeth. The mouthguard is constructed over a model of your teeth, ensuring that it fits properly and feels comfortable in the mouth. Custom-made mouthguards offer the best protection. When to Replace Sports GuardsIt is recommended that you get a new set of mouthguards after every sports season. The reason is that these pieces wear down over time, so by the time you end your sports season, they perhaps have worn out to the point of replacement. When mouthguards wear down, they become less effective, and you risk sustaining injuries even when wearing the pieces. If you are an adolescent, your mouth is still growing so you may need to get newer mouthguards as the changes in mouth size and structure occur. You can visit us every six months to have your custom mouthguards checked and remade. Caring for Sports GuardsBesides maintaining proper oral health, you should clean your mouthguard. Since a mouthguard rests in the mouth for many hours while playing sports, it accumulates bacterial plaque during that time. Once you get the piece out of the mouth, rinse it using warm water. Do not rinse with hot water or use toothpaste to clean the piece. You can immerse it in a denture cleaner to ensure it is properly cleaned. We will provide you with tips on the way you should care for your mouthguard. Store the piece in a special container so that it is not damaged. To find out about sports guards and how to get one specifically designed for you, visit our team at Jerome Riddle DDS. Give us a call at 480-991-4410 to request an appointment. We strive to promote your oral health and ensure your teeth and gums are well protected from things like injuries or even disease. |
