Sports Mouthguards
Mouthguards
31% of dental emergency trauma cases are admitted to hospital for sports injuries. Mouthguards, gum shields, sports guards, they have lots of names but all aim to protect the wearer's teeth, gums and mouth from serious harm. There are lots of mouth guards available, the cheapest of which are the boil and bite ones that can be bought in sports shops or chemists.
Benefits of sports mouthguards
- A secure and stable fit
- Protection from tooth loss
- Reduced chance
- Close spaces between the teeth
Mouth Guards
Custom-fit mouth guards are prescribed and created by a dental professional from thermoplastic material and are based on a detailed mould taken of your mouth and teeth.
These devices are highly personalized as your dentist can adjust the thickness of the mouth guard depending on your level of teeth grinding and clenching, and they are designed to fit perfectly in your mouth with no adjustments needed.
An adult mouth guard should last 2 years. A child mouth guard needs more frequent replacements to keep up with these changes
Mouth Guard Creation
Your dentist will arrange a time for a dental mould of your teeth
The mould will be used to create your custom mouthguard
Once the mouthguard has been created, your dentist will fit the mouthguard and provide instructions
The dentist will check that the fit is secure and that the mouth guard doesn’t obstruct your breathing or cause you discomfort
We offer a range of mouth guards for most ages and protection levels. They are all custom-made mouthguards. We only offer this type as they give better fit and protection than ‘boil and bite’ types.
- Light: for children with only their milk teeth present, who play sports that do not involve a hard stick or ball eg football.
- Medium: for sports players with at least some of their adult teeth who play sports that do not involve a hard stick or ball eg football.
- Heavy: for sports players who may encounter a hard stick or ball eg hockey.
- Heavy-pro: for serious sports players who may encounter a hard weapon or hardball going at speed eg cricket.
Benefits of Nightguards
One-third of the population suffers from teeth grinding (bruxism) or jaw clenching. People who grind their teeth in their sleep will require a custom-made Nightguard which will protect their smile.
- Prevents significant damage to your teeth
- The most effective (and cheapest) solution for patients who grind or clench their teeth
- Places a cushioning barrier between your teeth, alleviating the symptoms of grinding
- Nightguard is hard or soft or a combination of hard/soft nightguards are available
- Comfortable to wear and fit tightly in the mouth
Frequently Asked Questions
A Mouth Guard could protect against significant traumas such as jaw cracks, broken teeth, and neck injuries by helping to prevent situations where the lower jaw gets slammed against the upper jaw. Mouth Guards work by moving soft tissue in the mouth away from the teeth, preventing laceration and wounding of the lips and cheeks, particularly for those wearing orthodontic devices.
In any sporting activity where there is a higher chance of contact with various other players or tough surfaces, we would certainly suggest that a Mouth Guard is used.
Players that take part in martial arts, soccer, rugby, or similar recreational sports such as skateboarding, should in fact use Mouth Guards while competing.
- Clean your Mouth Guard by washing it with soap and cool (not boiling or warm) water.
- Before storing away, soak your Mouth Guard in mouthwash.
- Keep your mouthguard in a well-ventilated area when not in use. We provide plastic storage boxes free with your mouthguard. If you do not have a storage boox for your mouthguard use a storage box that has several holes so the Mouth Guard will easily dry.
- Heat can have a negative effect on a Mouth Guard, so do not leave it in direct sunlight or in a warm place like a car or beside a radiator!
- Do not over flex or bend your Mouth Guard when storing.