Athletic Guards

Athletic Sport Guards and their Benefits

Any sport regardless of the level of contact can cause injuries and trauma to your teeth and mouth. Most of these injuries can be prevented by wearing athletic guards. In some instances people who are wearing sports guards become injured while playing a sport. This is due to the fact that they were wearing an improperly fabricated mouthguard.

In order for a Mouthguard to best protect your teeth they must be properly fitted to ensure they offer utmost protection.

Injury prevention

Dental injuries are common among athletes but Sports guards can prevent damage to teeth and the loss of teeth caused by traumatic impact to the mouth, while playing sports.

Mouth guards are also effective in preventing concussions by absorbing impact. In several studies, researchers found that fabricated or custom-fitted mouth guards reduce concussion cases and mandibular jaw injuries. One of the reasons custom-fitted mouth guards reduce concussion is because they relieve the stress on the anterior teeth as they absorb and disperse shock energy, stopping the vibration of the maxillary teeth.

However, most athletes aren’t properly informed about the grave consequences of not wearing athletic guards when they play contact sports. The orofacial trauma which occurs while playing contact sports can cause considerable pain and may result in tooth loss.

All athletes, both young and adults, benefit from wearing protective athletic guards; especially if they’re participating in football, basketball, soccer or lacrosse.

Contact sports such as these can pose a high risk of injury, not just to the mouth but also to the jaw. The likelihood of injuring your mouth and jaw could be significantly reduced by simply wearing a mouth guard.

It is important to understand that Athletic mouth guards are not the same as the mouth guards you use for bruxism (tooth grinding) or type used while sleeping to prevent snoring. Sports guards protect the teeth and the entire mouth during sports activity.

You can find various types of athletic guards; boil-and-bite athletic guards are available in most sporting good shops. Custom-made sports guards are ideal because they offer the most protection by fitting perfectly to your mouth.  Custom-made sports guards are also durable and easy to clean.

Taking care of athletic guards

Like any other dental appliance, your athletic guards should be kept clean at all times. When they are worn out, you must request a replacement. Your sports guard may no longer be useful in protecting your teeth and mouth while playing a sport if it becomes severely worn.

To keep your sports guard clean, use a toothbrush and add toothpaste. Scrub it gently. When you obtain your sports guard from your dentist, it comes with a protective case. When your sports guard is not in use always store it in its case.

Never put it in a place where it’ll be exposed to hot water or the sun. The reason for this is that it could melt, distort or deform.

While wearing your athletic guard, be sure not to chew on it. You may have seen Stephen Curry chewing on his athletic guards while playing but it’s not a good idea.