Sports are an excellent form of exercise that gets you up, moving and outside. They allow you to connect with friends and have a good time. However, many sports pose risks for injuries, such as falls or collisions. When you play a sport, it is important that you wear the proper gear to protect yourself from injuries. Common protective gear includes padding and helmets. While helmets protect your head, they do not provide the proper protection for your mouth. At Arrowhead Dental, we can help you to protect your teeth, jawbone and oral tissues with a mouth guard.
Protecting Your Mouth
Your mouth performs a wide array of essential functions. It allows you to bite and chew food. It enables you to speak. It also provides you with a beautiful smile. Protecting your mouth and all its components is essential for preventing serious injuries that could affect the functions of your mouth, your oral health and your overall health. A mouth guard is an oral device that is worn over your top teeth. It is designed to absorb impacts in the event of an injury, such as a hit to the face or a fall on the field, protecting your teeth, your jawbone and the soft tissues in your mouth.
Why Not Just Get a Mouth Guard at a Store?
There are a few different types of mouth guards that you can easily find at your local sporting goods stores. Common types of readily available mouth guards include stock guards and boil-and-bite guards. Stock guards are the most affordable option. However, they come premolded, which means that it is unlikely that they will fit your mouth properly. Without a proper fit, the guard could make it hard to breathe or increase your risk of injury.
A boil-and-bite mouth guard is made to be dropped into boiling water for a few minutes to soften the material and then cooled for a few seconds before you bite into it. By biting into the guard, it creates a semi-custom mold of your mouth. While more effective than stock mouth guards are, they can still pose some issues.
At Arrowhead Dental, our dentists and team offer custom-fitted mouth guards. These mouth guards are created just for you based on digital impressions of your mouth. We can use specialized software to make a mouth guard that will fit your teeth perfectly and provide superior comfort. While more expensive than other types of mouth guards are, the protection that custom mouth guards provide is unmatched.
Taking Care of Your Mouth Guard
To provide you with optimal protection, your mouth guard needs to be properly cared for. You should rinse it off before and after each use. It can also be brushed or washed with soap and water. When you are not using the mouth guard, it should be stored in a hard case in a safe location. The case should have vent holes, which will allow airflow to prevent bacterial buildup. Do not store your mouth guard where it will be exposed to high temperatures, and do not leave it exposed to direct sunlight. These factors can quickly degrade the mouth guard and decrease its effectiveness. Make sure that you periodically check your mouth guard for signs of wear and damage and replace it at the first signs.
Custom-Fitted Mouth Guard Benefits
A custom-fitted mouth guard provides you with numerous benefits:
- Protection from tooth damage
- Prevention of jaw injuries and fractures
- Protection of the soft tissues inside your mouth
- Avoidance of concussions
By protecting your mouth, you can avoid the need for potentially invasive and expensive dental procedures that might otherwise be required in the event of an injury.
If you play a sport, it is important that you take the proper precautions to protect yourself. Call our office today at 307-789-5210 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Jordan Argyle, Dr. Jonathan Morgan or Dr. Greg Dover and learn more about sports mouth guards in Evanston, Wyoming.
