Season Equipment List: Shin Guards, Socks, Shoulder Pads, Water Bottles, Mouthguards, and Duffle Bags, wait… Mouthguards?
When it comes to protecting your child’s smile this upcoming season, a mouthguard is an essential piece of gear that should be part of your sports equipment from an early age. No matter if your child is in a contact or non-contact sport many sports mandate the use of mouthguards, even if your sport doesn’t mandate the use of mouthguards that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use them.
There are many options when it comes to mouthguards from custom options to stock mouthguards. Check out the difference between each type of mouthguard below.
- Custom-Made: Custom-Made guards are completely designed for the athlete, these are designed in your dental office. They allow for maximum comfort for better protection and are the thinnest and most comfortable option on the market.
- Boil and Bite: Boil and Bite guards are traditionally made from thermoplastic material, which allows them to be placed in hot water to soften, then placed in your athlete’s mouth and shaped around their teeth. This type of guard can be purchased at a local sporting goods store
- Stock: Stock guards are ready to wear as soon as you open the package. They are the most inexpensive option and also can be bought at any sporting goods store. They can fit easily but unfortunately, they can be bulky.
A properly fitted mouthguard is especially important for those athletes who wear braces. If an athlete doesn’t have a mouthguard and receives a hit to the face not only could the braces be damaged but the smile could be damaged as well. A mouthguard also protects and avoids injuries to the athlete’s cheeks or lips from the braces.
Talk to your dentist about when is the right time to replace the mouthguard, younger athletes may need to replace mouthguards more frequently due to their mouths still growing and changing. Here are a couple of best practices to make sure your mouthguard is ready for the next game or practice.
- Rinse before and after each use.
- Regularly clean the mouthguard and rinse it thoroughly.
- During your regular dental checkups, bring your mouthguard to be check by the dentist.
- Keep the mouthguard in a sturdy container that has vents so it can dry and keep bacteria from growing.
- Never leave the mouthguard in the sun or in hot water.
- Check fit and for signs of wear and tear to see if it needs replacing.