The leading cause of tooth loss for people under the age of twenty five is sports-related facial trauma. This is unfortunate since there’s an easy way to protect your smile during any athletic activity. You wouldn’t run onto the football field without a helmet or jump in the pool without goggles, but a surprising number of people compete in athletic events without wearing a mouthguard. Protecting your smile is essential anytime you compete in a sport where other players, hard surfaces, or sports equipment may cause damage. You likely think of high contact sports like hockey and lacrosse, but an athletic mouthguard is also recommended during sports like swimming, cycling, and basketball.
Custom Sportsguards
We’ve all seen it before. A young football player with a mouthguard hanging off their helmet who never places the sportsguard during the game. The best guard will not do you much good, if you don’t use it. Often times, one size fits all guards are uncomfortable, bulky, or make it difficult to breathe, so patients wear them inconsistently or not at all. That’s why we recommend a custom crafted mouthguard for our athletes at any age. These protective appliances are fitted to each patient’s smile, so they are maximally effective and completely comfortable. This increases patient compliance and ensures patients’ smiles are safe from unnecessary dental damage.
Store Bought Options
If you do choose to wear a store-bought athletic mouthguard, remember that they are not all created equal. There are two main types of over the counter mouthguards one size fits all and boil and bite. One size fits all guards come in a range of generic sizes, and you have the ability to slightly adjust thesee by cutting them down. Boil and bite, as the name suggests, are softened through boiling allowing athletes to bite into the guard and create a closer to custom fit. We recommend boil and bite sportsguards for patients who choose to use an over the counter guard. You should also bring your mouthguard to the dentist’s office, so we can examine it to ensure it fits correctly.
Ask Dr. Parker
Dr. Parker and the dental team at Parker Dental & Orthodontics are committed to helping patients keep their smiles whole and healthy. If you want to find out more about custom sportsguards, contact our office to schedule an appointment. We have four convenient office locations, so finding an office near you should be easy. Check back in on our blog regularly to find out more about the wide array of services we offer and stay up to date on community activities and events.