Mouthguards for your athlete

By: Jacque’ Spurlock, RDH, BS

Protect them from Dental Injuries

Parents, athletes, teachers, coaches, referees, umpires, athletic directors, insurance agents, school administrators, or any other participants either directly or indirectly involved with youth sports understand the need to protect our children from injury.

In these days when most kids under 12 years old seem to be walking around with $700 iPhones, Jeffrey L. Angart, DDS loves the opportunity to mouth-off about one of the most important pieces of protective athletic equipment – a properly fitted mouthguard.

The most common questions that we get about mouth guards.

1. WHAT IS A MOUTH GUARD? Mouth guards are an important piece of athletic equipment for any sport that involves falls, blows to the head or flying equipment.  They are commonly called sport guards and mouth protection. Mouth guards typically cover the upper teeth and are worn to prevent broken teeth and other damage to the mouth
2. HOW LONG DO THEY LAST?  Most athletes at younger ages need a new mouthguard for every sports season.  Because of growth, development, orthodontics and loosing baby teeth, a mouthguard may only last one season.  If your athlete is done growing and no longer has baby teeth, the guard may last 6 months to a year.  Replacement is important over time due to them wearing down and making them less effective.
3. WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES?
   1. CUSTOM MADE -Not surprisingly, custom mouth guards are more comfortable and have the best fit for athletes.
   2. BOIL AND BITE – These can be found over-the-counter in a pre-formed shape and altered by boiling it in water and then biting into the warm material for a more customized shape.  Follow the directions carefully to prevent making an ill-fitting mouth guard.
   3. STOCK MOUTH GUARD –  These are inexpensive and come ready to wear.  Unfortunately, these are not very comfortable and often do not fit well.  They are also bulky and can breathing and talking more difficult

Please call us at 614-775-0840 if you are interested in more information about athletic mouth guards or to schedule an appointment.