Sport Mouth Guards
When you or your child play a sport, you probably already know that it’s important to have the right clothes and footwear for the activity. But what about a mouthguard? While most sports teams don’t require players to wear a mouthguard, they’re an important strategy for protecting your teeth and mouth.
Why do I need a mouthguard?
Are you a high school lacrosse player? You need a mouthguard. What about if you’re a parent playing on a recreational soccer team? Still need a mouthguard. When you participate in any sport, even if it isn’t particularly high contact, you should be wearing a mouthguard to minimize injuries to your teeth and mouth.
As an athlete, you expose your body to a number of risks no matter what level you play at. But people don’t always think about oral injuries. When athletes get elbowed in the mouth during a wrestling match or take a fly ball to the face in a baseball game, that impact can do significant damage, knocking teeth loose or even out completely. A mouth guard helps protect against these impact injuries, keeping your teeth in place and chip-free.
Mouthguards can also help you from biting through your lip, a painful experience to say the least. It’s an injury that dentists see all too often in athletes. When a person’s head gets slammed down, the teeth can go right through the soft tissue of the lip if there’s nothing to keep them apart. That’s where a mouthguard comes into play, creating a buffer between your lips and teeth.
It’s especially important to wear a mouthguard when it comes to contact sports as they can help reduce the risk of a concussion. If you’re hit in the jaw by a knee or elbow, the plastic of the mouthguard will absorb the shock, limiting its impact.
What kind of mouthguard is best?
When it comes to choosing a mouthguard, you have three different choices:
While it may be tempting to save time by simply buying a stock or boil and bite mouthguard at a local store, a customized option is by far the best choice. Because it’s designed for your mouth, it will fit better, allowing you to talk and breathe more easily, protecting your teeth without ruining your practice or game day experience.
How do I get a custom-fitted mouthguard?
At our office, we make custom-fitted mouthguards free of charge for our patients of record. Just give us a call and we’ll set up a time for you or your student athlete to come in for a short appointment. All we need is a quick impression of your teeth and then we’ll take care of the rest. Your mouthguard can be ready the next day if you need it quickly!
Not a patient of record with our office? We’re happy to make mouthguards for anyone in our community, regardless of whether they have been in the office or not. When we make a mouthguard for someone who is not a patient of record, we simply charge a small fee which is then donated to a local school’s athletic program.
Just because mouthguards are important for safety doesn’t mean they can’t be fun! When we make a mouthguard for a local student athlete, we’ll offer the option of creating it in the appropriate school colors. Whether you want purple and white for Shasta, black and yellow for Enterprise, or one of the many other combinations for the excellent schools in our area, we have you covered!
For more information, watch the video below:
Why do I need a mouthguard?
Are you a high school lacrosse player? You need a mouthguard. What about if you’re a parent playing on a recreational soccer team? Still need a mouthguard. When you participate in any sport, even if it isn’t particularly high contact, you should be wearing a mouthguard to minimize injuries to your teeth and mouth.
As an athlete, you expose your body to a number of risks no matter what level you play at. But people don’t always think about oral injuries. When athletes get elbowed in the mouth during a wrestling match or take a fly ball to the face in a baseball game, that impact can do significant damage, knocking teeth loose or even out completely. A mouth guard helps protect against these impact injuries, keeping your teeth in place and chip-free.
Mouthguards can also help you from biting through your lip, a painful experience to say the least. It’s an injury that dentists see all too often in athletes. When a person’s head gets slammed down, the teeth can go right through the soft tissue of the lip if there’s nothing to keep them apart. That’s where a mouthguard comes into play, creating a buffer between your lips and teeth.
It’s especially important to wear a mouthguard when it comes to contact sports as they can help reduce the risk of a concussion. If you’re hit in the jaw by a knee or elbow, the plastic of the mouthguard will absorb the shock, limiting its impact.
What kind of mouthguard is best?
When it comes to choosing a mouthguard, you have three different choices:
- Stock: These mouthguards come pre-made and consequently will likely feel bulky. They may make it difficult to speak or breathe while in your mouth. Stock mouthguards can be purchased at most sporting goods stores or drug stores.
- Boil and bite: A step up from stock, you first soften the plastic of this mouthguard and then stick it in your mouth, allowing the material to harden around the shape of your teeth. You’ll likely be able to purchase one at the same stores that carry stock guards.
- Custom-fitted: This type of mouthguard is personally made for your mouth by a dentist. They typically offer the best fit.
While it may be tempting to save time by simply buying a stock or boil and bite mouthguard at a local store, a customized option is by far the best choice. Because it’s designed for your mouth, it will fit better, allowing you to talk and breathe more easily, protecting your teeth without ruining your practice or game day experience.
How do I get a custom-fitted mouthguard?
At our office, we make custom-fitted mouthguards free of charge for our patients of record. Just give us a call and we’ll set up a time for you or your student athlete to come in for a short appointment. All we need is a quick impression of your teeth and then we’ll take care of the rest. Your mouthguard can be ready the next day if you need it quickly!
Not a patient of record with our office? We’re happy to make mouthguards for anyone in our community, regardless of whether they have been in the office or not. When we make a mouthguard for someone who is not a patient of record, we simply charge a small fee which is then donated to a local school’s athletic program.
Just because mouthguards are important for safety doesn’t mean they can’t be fun! When we make a mouthguard for a local student athlete, we’ll offer the option of creating it in the appropriate school colors. Whether you want purple and white for Shasta, black and yellow for Enterprise, or one of the many other combinations for the excellent schools in our area, we have you covered!
For more information, watch the video below: