Mouth Guards
Mouth Guards
Mouth guards are an extremely important piece of equipment for any one participating in sports or other physical activities. Mouth guards protect not only the teeth, but also the jaw, face, tongue, and lips. They can also protect against more traumatic injuries to the jaw and the neck, as well as protect against cerebral hemorrhages and concussions.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, hundreds of thousands of injuries to the mouth or face can easily be avoided or at least reduced in severity if the person had been wearing a mouth guard.
Most mouth guards are small, easily moldable plastic appliances. A mouth guard’s ability to protect you is not diminished if worn over braces and bridges.
Types of Mouth Guards
There are basically three types of mouth guards. The most common type of mouth guard is prepared by soaking in hot water to soften it and then molded to the teeth. For someone looking for more confidence in the ability of the mouth guard to protect them, a better option would be to contact their dentist for a custom-fit mouth guard. Lastly, one can buy a pre-molded mouth guard. These are the least desirable mouth guards because, while they are convenient, they can easily fall out, as they are not molded to the unique shape of your teeth.
Mouth Guard Care
Mouth guards should be regularly cleaned to prevent the growth of germs on the mouth guard and to guard against contaminating your mouth. Cleaning is as simple as soaking them in either warm soap and water, or an antiseptic mouthwash, and then allowing the mouth guard to air dry.