Everything You Should know About Custom Sports Mouth Guards

What Is A Mouth Guard? 

While playing boxing, rugby, hockey, weight lifting, bicycling gymnastics, etc, our lips, tongue, jaw, and face are susceptible to injuries. If not taken care, the damage caused (if any) might also be irreversible. That is when a Mouth Guard comes to our rescue. 

A Mouth Guard is an athletic gear that sports over the teeth and can help protect our face and smile. Mouth Guards, nowadays, can even reduce the severity of concussions. Dr. Bob Dokhanchi, a Dentist in Aurora, says, 13-39 % of the total dental cases reported are sports related. 

Earlier, Face Masks and Mouth Guards found use during football games where half of all players’ suffered facial injuries. But, with the gradual increase in demand for facemasks and Mouth Guards, the number of injuries reportedly dropped by 200,000/year. 

Mouth Guard

Types Of Mouth Guards 

Three types of Mouth Guards are available:

• Stock-Mouth Protectors 

These come ready to wear, inexpensive and are easily available. However, these protectors are non-adjustable, bulky, make breathing and talking difficult. Also, the protection level is very less, hence not recommended by Dentists. 

• Boil And Bite Mouth Protectors 

These are easily available and may offer a fit better than stock mouth protectors. These are made up of thermoplastic material. These are placed in hot water to soften and then shaped around the teeth by applying pressure.

• Custom Mouth Protectors 

These types of protectors are individually designed in a dental office or a professional laboratory directly on the dentist's instructions as per the patient’s requirements. This custom Mouth Guard is more expensive than the other types because of the special material and the extra time and work involved. But it provides the maximum amount of protection and comfort.

Custom Mouth Protectors are the main concern of this Article. 

Prevention Is Better Than Cure! 

Custom Sports Mouth Guards is a must for anyone- children and adults who play contact sports such as football, boxing, field hockey, ice hockey, basketball, lacrosse, etc. However, it is also advisable for those participating in non-contact sports such as gymnastics, skateboarding, mountain biking, etc that might pose a risk of injury to the mouth to wield a protective mouth guard.

Adults and children who tend to grind their teeth at night are advised to have a night-time bite plate or bite splint to prevent tooth damage. 

Choosing The Best Custom Sports Mouth Guards...

• Use the right size that fits in your mouth. 
• If you have braces, prefer a Mouth Guard for your bottom teeth too to prevent your lips from getting cut on the brackets.
• The Mouth Guard should be adjusted constantly as your teeth shift during the orthodontic treatment, to fit the new shape. The same guard can be removed for use for up to 20 times as the teeth shift and move. Your Dentist can re-fit it right in the office with a bit of hot water and the barrier.

Things to Remember While Using A Custom Mouth Guard

• It is important that you have regular dental check-ups done, including one, right before the playing session starts. Bring your Mouth Guard with you when you see your dentist and discuss any concerns you may have. 
• Never chew on the Mouth Guard. This may weaken the material and decrease its effectiveness. Also, any holes, tears, and damage to the Mouth Guard will possibly irritate your gums or soft tissue. If you notice any damage, replace your Mouth Guard immediately. 
• Before and after each use, check your Mouth Guard for damages (if any) and rinse it with cold water or mouthwash. Clean the guard with a toothbrush and toothpaste or in a mixture of soapy water regularly. Make sure to rinse it well and store it in a clean, perforated container. 
• Avoid placing the Mouth Guard under direct sunlight or high temperatures. 

The After Effects...

To determine the possible side-effects of using Mouth Guard during exercise, oxygen consumption was measured using a portable gas analysis system while an exercise-tolerance test with a shuttle-run test protocol was performed. Values with and without wearing the Mouth Guard were compared. 

Using Wilcoxon ranks test, the statistical analysis showed that wearing mouth guards has no significant aftermath. The maximal oxygen intake (VO(2max)), minute ventilation (VE), tidal volume (VT) and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) while performing the maximal exercise (P>0.05) were at par with when tested at normal conditions. In conclusion, the athletes can use custom-made Mouth Guards without negative effects on their aerobic performance capacity.

After all, the face is an indication of a person’s image, self-confidence, and success. It is better to be safe than being… toothless!