Do you love playing sports, or is another family member passionate about their sporting activities? While participating in sports is healthy and enjoyable, many activities carry the risk of dental injuries in Newcastle. All too often, dentists see patients with chipped or fractured teeth or worse with a gappy smile where teeth are knocked out entirely.
It’s a situation that can be extremely upsetting and which frequently requires extensive restorative work and multiple dental appointments. Over a lifetime, the ongoing costs can quickly mount up. It’s why we strongly suggest that anyone who loves playing sports and who cares about their smile has a properly fitting custom mouthguard. We can supply custom-fitted mouthguards here at West Bowmanville Family Dental and they are very affordable.
Who Should Have a Custom Fitted Mouthguard?
With some sports, it’s obvious you need a mouthguard such as football, hockey, boxing and lacrosse. However, dental injuries can occur even in non-contact sports like skateboarding, gymnastics or basketball, or horse riding. If there is any chance you could take a knock to your face, it’s worth wearing a mouthguard. Many athletes invest considerable sums of money in equipment to protect other parts of their body, and a mouthguard is just as essential as any athletic gear.
What Are the Advantages of Having a Mouthguard?
Sports mouthguards in Newcastle are designed to cushion the impact of a knock or blow to the mouth, spreading the force created and helping to avoid dental injuries. These injuries include broken teeth and cuts to the soft tissues of the face, including the lips, cheeks and tongue. A well-fitting mouthguard also protects your jaws and may reduce the severity of concussions.
Why Choose Custom Fitted Over a Stock Mouthguard?
While you can buy stock mouthguards pretty cheaply and which are preformed, they offer very little protection. Some are ready-made, while others are what are called boil and bite mouthguards that are softened in hot water, whereby you have to do your best to adapt the mouthguard to fit your teeth. Additionally, these mouthguards can affect breathing and speech, are uncomfortable to wear and may fall out while you play sports.
In contrast, a mouthguard made by your dentist is made from tear-resistant, durable material and has a neutral taste and is odour free. It will fit properly around your teeth and is comfortable to wear, without restricting your speech or breathing. Above all, it offers a superior level of protection that isn’t achievable with anything you can buy ready-made. It’s especially important to have a custom-fitted mouthguard in Courtice if you currently wear fixed braces.
Getting the Most Out of Your Mouthguard
Once you have your mouthguard, make sure you wear it regularly. To get the best use out of your mouthguard, you shouldn’t wear it with removable appliances like retainers. Make sure when wearing your mouthguard, you do not chew on it. It’s best to wear your mouthguard any time you play sports, even if it’s just a practice session. We can check the fit and condition of your mouthguard regularly during your dental checkups so be sure to bring it with you whenever you visit our dentist in Clarington. Adult mouthguards tend to last for quite a while, but children may need their mouthguard replacing more frequently as their teeth and jaws develop.
Caring for Your Mouthguard
After wearing your mouthguard, make sure you rinse it thoroughly, and you can keep it clean by brushing it with a toothbrush and a little toothpaste. Otherwise, you can clean your mouthguard in cool, soapy water, making sure you rinse it properly. Take care not to leave your mouthguard in hot water or the sun as it could distort it.
