Mouthguards
With COVID-19 restrictions easing even further (yay!), it feels like EVERYONE is busting to get back to playing the sports they have been missing so much.
Ok – not ME personally, but I know people that are.
These people don’t appear to care if it’s pouring with rain and freezing cold in winter, or stinking hot in the burning sun in summer. I’d like to be that person, but I’m not. I’m the one panicking now because the gyms are open again and I have to go back and I don’t have a good reason not to. No, I’m not a good role model, so don’t listen to me about that – but listen to me about this. If you, or someone you care about, are one of these people that play sport, and a lot of Aussies do, I’m sure you’re aware of the risk of injuring your teeth during “play” (Not just your teeth – other body parts too – but let me stick to what I know). It’s not just the contact sports that carry the risk of dental injury. Non-contact sports like cricket, basketball, netball, touch football, skateboarding and soccer – they carry a real risk of accidental collision resulting dental trauma. These sorts of injuries are often difficult to treat, and often involve a lifetime of expense.
Mouthguards can protect you from some serious sporting injuries, and I don’t just mean breaking or knocking out teeth, which is what people think of first (yes – shudder!) They can help prevent broken jaws, cut lips and tongues as well.
How a mouthguard works:
A custom-fitted mouthguard works by absorbing and spreading the impact of the damaging blow, and is fabricated based on an impression of your teeth and jaw taken by your dentist. A mouthguard that is custom-fitted by your dentist is FAR superior to an over-the-counter mouthguard because it’s specially designed to fit the exact contours of your mouth, is resilient, balances your bite and allows speech and normal breathing. If properly used, stored, and checked by your dentist every year, a custom-fitted mouthguard should last several seasons. In contrast, self-fitted, over-the-counter mouthguards (like the boil and bite kind), should not be used. They do not protect the teeth, are loosely fitted, impede breathing and speaking, and can even wedge in the back of the throat at impact which could be life threatening.
Wearing a custom-fitted mouthguard:
Custom-fitted mouthguards, by virtue of their exact fit, let you talk normally, don’t restrict your breathing and stay firmly in place, allowing you to concentrate on playing the sport you love. While “boil and bite mouthguards” you might bite at the pharmacy may help soften the blow a bit they are not designed or made in such as way as to provide enough protection if you take a hit to the mouth. Wearers often find them to be extremely uncomfortable to wear and in some cases won’t wear them at all. You should consider it a mandatory part of your sporting equipment, no matter your age or experience – and not just for games. Lots of injuries can happen during training, so be safe and wear it all the time. To keep your mouthguard in tip-top working order, you’ll need to keep it out of the sun, wash it in cold water after use, get your dentist to make sure it’s still OK when you go in for your regular check-ups. Only dental professionals can design and manufacture a custom-fitted mouthguard that provides adequate protection.
Realise you need a mouthguard now?
No matter what your sport is, if you want a mouthguard that is protective and comfortable get in touch with us on 93192606. We use (and have always used) local laboratories that we know and trust.