Mouthguards are a kind of dental device made to protect and cover your teeth and gums to help prevent or reduce the chances of injury. This is a gadget often used to help prevent damage that could take place during contact sport. It can go by many names, such as gum guard, gum shield, mouthpiece, mouth protector.
There have been numerous studies done throughout the years, including one done in March 1999 looking at nearly 1000 Australian footballers. It quickly became apparent that a good amount of their emergency dental injuries came as a result of sporting activities. The study has other powerful implications regarding treatment of sportspeople when it comes to dental emergencies and how important it is to take steps to prevent dental injuries so that you can avoid disfigurement and costly dental injuries for athletes.
Who Can Use Mouth Guards?
The mouthguards or mouthpieces can be used by anyone, both children and adults, who are taking part in any sort of contact sport such as rugby, soccer, boxing, field, hockey and more. Even those who are participating in sports that are no contact, such as skateboarding, mountain biking and other recreational activities, would also benefit from having mouth protection.
There is a notable amount of proof that the use of mouthguards by rugby players have a major role in helping to prevent harm to the teeth and face. They are recommended very strongly at all different rugby levels. Such recommendations were made on the advice offered by several professionals within the rugby and medical world.
Know Your Options
There are three main types of mouth guards that you could pick from:
Stock Mouth Protectors – This is a preformed option that comes ready to be worn. They are low in price and can be obtained at just about any sporting goods store.
Boil And Bite Protectors – You can also get these from many sporting goods stores and you may get a better fit when compared to the stock mouth protection gear.
Custom Fit Protectors – These guards are custom made to fit you and are molded in a professional lab based upon the instructions from your dentist. They will take an impression of your teeth and then the mouth guard is molded using special materials. Given the special materials and all of the work that is involved, these mouth protectors will be more costly than the other types that are available. However, they will give you much more comfort and protection.
Your dental professional will also be able to recommend the best possible device for you to use. A good guard that is effective will be comfortable, durable, easy to clean and able to resist tears and excessive wear. In no way should it restrict your breathing or your speech.
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