Our custom mouth guards can help you protect your beautiful smile from sports injuries or the effects of teeth grinding.
What is a Mouth Guard?
If you’ve ever played a competitive sport, then you’re probably already familiar with the piece of soft plastic or resin that is used to cover the teeth and gums. An athletic mouth guard, also called a “sports guard,” is an essential piece of personal equipment that helps to protect your teeth, gums and jaw from sports-related injuries. A mouth guard, or night guard, can also be used to prevent damage caused by teeth grinding and clenching (bruxism).
While mouth guards can be purchased at most stores that sell sporting goods, we recommend having a custom-fitted mouth guard created by your Anderson, SC dentist. A custom guard offers the best possible fit and protection. Our team will work with your schedule to get you in quickly and keep your smile safe.
How Do Mouth Guards Protect Your Teeth?
A mouth guard is designed to fit snugly over your upper teeth and will protect your mouth from any injuries sustained while playing high-impact sports such as football and hockey. In fact, mouth guards are so critical that the majority of sporting organizations now require that mouth guards be worn at all times while in play.
During the course of a game, it is likely that players will fall, jostle, bump into one another, and perform a variety of maneuvers which could put their teeth at risk. By inserting a mouth guard before the game begins, you can ensure that you will not sustain damage such as chipped, broken, or cracked teeth as a result of an injury.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) specifically advocates that children should wear mouth guards at all times while playing sports to prevent a traumatic brain injury. Ask your Anderson, SC dentist for more details about how a mouth guard can help protect your child.
Why Wear a Mouth Guard?
Wearing a mouth guard while playing sports can help to prevent:
- Cheek lesions. Mouth guards stop your teeth from coming into contact with your gums or cheeks due to a blow to the face.
- Lip lesions. Similarly, mouth guards keep your teeth from damaging your lips during play.
- Broken teeth. Wearing a mouth guard will reduce the likelihood that you will chip or break a tooth if you get hit in the mouth.
- Gum, tongue, and soft tissue injuries. Your teeth are sharper than you might realize and a mouth guard will prevent them from damaging your soft tissues.