Mouthguard

What is a mouth guard?

A mouth guard is a dental cover for your teeth that protects your smile against damage and injury during sports and other physical activities. They are also used to prevent damage from nighttime teeth grinding, or bruxism. Mouth guards help lower your child’s risk of a number of serious dental emergencies, including:

• Broken tooth
• Cracked tooth
• Tooth loss
• Tooth pain

With the right equipment, you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that your child’s mouth is safe in any sport they choose to play.

Are there different types of mouth guards?

There are many different types of mouth guards to choose from, but the three most popular are:

Store-bought mouth guard

Available at any sporting goods store, an off-the-shelf mouth guard is inexpensive and easily accessible. These mouth guards come in a limited number of sizes and fit directly over your child’s teeth. Because they are not custom-fit, your child must clench their teeth to keep the mouth guard in place. Not only does this make the mouth guard uncomfortable, but constant clenching can also impact speech.

“Boil and bite” mouthguard

“Boil and bite” mouth guards are designed to fit your teeth better than traditional store-bought mouth guards. These mouth guards are placed in hot water and softened, making it easy to bite down and, in theory, create your own custom-fit mouth guard at home. While “boil and bite” mouth guards do provide better protection than store-bought alternatives, they are uncomfortable and do not offer the same protection as custom mouth guards.

A professional custom mouth guard is created by a My Kidz Dentist expert to fit your child’s mouth perfectly. These custom mouthguards fit every groove of your child’s smile and stay in place for the best fit, highest comfort, and most comprehensive protection. They are made from the highest quality dental materials to provide unmatched protection, even during contact sports like football, hockey, soccer, and basketball.

How can a custom-fit mouth guard protect my child?

Mouth guards are primarily designed to protect your child’s mouth from teeth grinding and sports injuries, but they also minimize the risk of other mouth injuries, including:

• Cheek bites
• Soft tissue injuries
• Jawbone injuries
• Concussion
• Tongue bites
• Lip injuries

Without proper protection, the forceful impact of a facial injury can cause a traumatic brain injury. To learn more about how a custom mouth guard can protect your child against serious injuries, call My Kidz Dentist or book an appointment online today.