Essential Things to Know About Mouthguards

Essential Things to Know About Mouth GuardsMouthguards are basically protective devices for the mouth that help to cover the dental structure and the gums and help in reducing the injury to the arches, cheeks, tongue, lips, teeth and the gums. Though the exact origin of the mouth guards is not known, it is assumed that it was first used during boxing. They can be used during any sporting event be it going for running, jogging, cycling, and gym or on the bike. A mouth guard is usually a soft plastic or a laminate device. Almost 1/3rd of the mouth injury that occurs tend to occur while participating in any sporting event. At an average mouth, guards can prevent more than 2 lakhs mouth injuries per year. According to a survey, almost 75% of the injuries that occur during any sporting event occur in absence of mouth guard. Wearing the mouth guards would surely be advantageous in this segment.

Types of mouth guards 

Mouth guards are usually available in wide ranges of designs and types. The common types along with their advantages are discussed below.

  • Stock mouth guards: They are the most common mouth guards and are usually available in all sports and goods stores. They are quite cheap but do not provide proper protection and tend to be loose and can come out easily.
  • Mouth forced or bites or boil guards: They are usually custom made and available in several types and designs. An impression cast of the wearer’s dentition is usually required beforehand. The mouth guard is designed based on the cast. The most common one is the guard vacuum one formed from a single layer of vinyl acetate or polyethylene. They must be heated before wearing.

Advantages of using mouth guards

  • One of the most notable advantages of the mouth guard is protecting the teeth from breaking. If a baseball hits your teeth while playing it may displace or even break your teeth. But if you are wearing a mouth guard it would cushion the teeth. A mouth guard would distribute the force all over the teeth so that one tooth does not receive the blow.
  • Mouth guards would also prevent the teeth from getting knocked out. It would be very embarrassing if a person ends up with a gap in their smile due to some games they played in childhood. If a baby tooth gets displaced it can cause an issue while the permanent tooth develops.
  • Mouth guards also help in protecting against soft tissue injury. Sometimes when players bite through their lips they need stitches to repair the injury. This can easily be avoided by covering the sharp surfaces of the teeth with mouth guards.
  • Mouth guards play an essential role in preventing concussions. There is padding between the maxilla and mandible in the mouth guards and this, in turn, reduces the effect if an athletic gets hurt in the mandible.
  • The mouth guards also help in protecting against spine injuries.
  • The mouth guard also prevents jaw fractures. If you get hurt in the head and teeth the effect would get much reduced if there be a layer of the plastic layer between the teeth. Jaw injuries are usually quite critical and require surgeries. Wearing the mouth guards would play an essential role in preventing the injury.

Essential Things to Know About Mouth Guards

Care of mouth guards 

Mouth guards must be given proper care and cleaned regularly. The few steps that should be followed to keep the mouth guard clean are explained below.

  • It should be cleaned with toothpaste and toothbrush after every use.
  • It should be stored in protective cases.
  • It should be kept away from direct sunlight or hot water.

The mouth guards provide superior safety and genuine comfort. Your smile is worth protecting.

Author bio: I am Lauren Bracy, a qualified blogger. Here you can see my skills which give you small ideas on understanding all the concepts with different themes. I love to write blogs on different topics, like health, home décor, Automotive, Business, Lifestyle, Finance, Flowers etc.

Picture Credit: vvoeAtiwich Kaewchum

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