While we give plenty of care to our teeth through regular brushing, and make scheduled visits to the dentist in order to ensure there are no underlying problems with our dental health, we are often much less careful when it comes to protecting out teeth during sports activities.
Physical sports often include bodily contact, and injuries can occur in participation. Sports injuries can involve any part of the body, and the mouth is no exception when it comes to potential injury. A misplaced pass, or a flailing arm, or even falling awkwardly can all cause potential harm to the mouth. [pullquote]A custom mouthguard is designed by a dentist to provide a snug, comfortable fit for the patient. [/pullquote]
That’s why many athletes choose to wear a mouthguard during sporting events in order to protect their mouth from suffering injury. Mouthguards aren’t solely the realm of professional athletes; any participant, whether they are professional or amateur, taking part in a physical sport – especially one which involves physical contact – should consider using a mouthguard both in practise and in competitive sports, and also in recreation, in order to provide protection to the teeth, gums and jaw.
Mouthguards work by absorbing the impact of blows to the mouth and distributing the blow’s force across the mouth rather than the concentrated point where the blow has been localized. The guard helps to protect teeth against chipping or breakage, and even the loss of teeth altogether. The mouthguard fits over the participant’s teeth and provides protection to the teeth, gums and jaw.
Available from a dentist, custom-fit mouthguards can provide greater protection than their over-the-counter counterparts that are available in sports stores. These common guards involve being boiled-and-bitten in order to attain their shape, but even doing so does not guarantee a safe fit, and the guard can easily work loose during exertion and can potentially even restrict breathing and speech. As a result, the athlete may have to divide their concentration between the sport itself, and working to keep the mouth-guard in place, thus compromising performance.
A custom mouthguard is designed by a dentist to provide a snug, comfortable fit for the patient. This in turn helps to limit the potential of the guard moving during exertion, while also working to maximize the athlete’s breathing and speech. This in turn allows the athlete to concentrate fully on the sport, and so can heighten performance.
To learn more about custom mouthguards, contact the office of Drs. Stephen Crosby and Adam Tan to schedule your informative consultation today.