The Importance of Mouth Guards in Sports

Playing sports means the possibility of severe injuries – fractures, bruises, or damage to your mouth. A sudden blow to the face during sports can seriously damage your teeth, lips, tongue, and jaw. Though injuries are all part of the game, wearing a mouth guard can prevent severe damage.

Like protective guards for other body parts, mouth guards are protective gear players wear over the teeth. They absorb the shocks to cushion the impact of a fall, a ball hitting the face, or when another player rams into you.

Benefits of Wearing a Mouth Guard

In most sports, wearing a mouth guard has been proven to prevent multiple types of injuries, including –

·   Chipped or broken teeth – A mouth guard can significantly reduce the risk of cracked or broken teeth.

·   Knocked-out teeth – Losing a tooth is scary and painful; mouthguards can prevent this from happening.

·   Soft tissue injuries – A powerful collision with another player can cause cuts to lips, tongue, or cheeks. Fortunately, mouthguards provide a layer of protection for these delicate areas.

·   Jaw injuries – The blunt blow can damage the jawbone or dislocate the jaw. But mouth guards distribute the impact to reduce the risk of dental fractures.

Can You Wear a Mouth Guard with Braces?

Even if you have braces, a mouth guard is recommended if you play sports that can damage your teeth. A sudden blow to the face can damage teeth and even braces. So, a good mouth guard will act as a barrier between braces and soft tissues to prevent any severe injury.

Different Types of Mouth Guards

There are primarily three types of mouthguards used by players in high-risk contact sports –

·   Stock mouth guard – This is a pre-made mouth guard available at sporting goods stores. Though this type of mouthguard is affordable, it may not fit perfectly.

·   Boil-and-bite mouth guard – It is created by designing a mold to fit an individual’s teeth. They turn soft on boiling so the player can bite into it for a perfect fit when it cools down.

·   Custom-fitted mouth guard – The dentist makes this mouth guard for the best fit and effective protection. They cost a little more but are a good investment for athletes in high-risk sports.

Play Safe to Win!

Playing sports with a good mouth guard is the best way to ensure an injury-free game and avoid a potential dental emergency. Still, if there is a dental injury, a visit to the emergency dentist should be your first trip out of the sports field. Emergency Dental Service will have a professional 24-hour emergency dentist near you to ensure the knocked-out tooth or a damaged jaw can be treated promptly.

Schedule an urgent dental care appointment (even beyond regular business hours) to let the emergency dentist fix your oral injuries and you can go back to playing your favorite sports in no time!

The Article “The Importance of Mouth Guards in Sports” was originally posted Here.