Why is it important for a football player, pro or amateur to wear a mouth protector when they play? The main reason is, that most of the time this is a required piece of equipment. Also, a properly fitted mouth guard helps protect an athlete from potential trauma to their mouth and cranial area. Most people only think that a mouth guard protects one’s teeth. The truth of the matter is it can also protect one from soft tissue damage both inside and outside one’s mouth as well as the possibility of a broken jaw. If an athlete wears dental braces or any type of dental appliance, even dentures, a mouth guard is even more important as a way to prevent cut lips, gums and cheeks.
Custom Made Mouth Guards
By wearing one of these flexible devices over one’s top and bottom teeth during a football game, a player has the added assurance and confidence needed to play without worrying about incurring an oral injury. The biggest question is should one wear custom made mouth guards or off the shelf mouth guards?
What are the advantages of a custom made mouth guard?
Make it easy for the wearer to breathe and talk
- Remain firmly in place while wearer is playing
- Be highly comfortable and well fitting
- Made of superb material that is odorless, tasteless and tear-resistant
- Easy to clean and very durable
When a properly fitted custom made mouth guard is made, it has the correct thickness of material so that one’s upper and lower jaws are properly separated and protected in a way that will absorb any shocks to your face or head. The shock is equally distributed throughout the mouth guard’s material in a way that reduces impact to one’s jaws and skull. Custom made mouth guards that absorb shock in this manner also reduce impact to one’s teeth and essentially to the brain cavity. In simple terms, custom made mouth guards are far more likely to lessen the potential for a concussion.
When trying to decide whether to use custom made mouth guards or off the shelf mouth guards, you should also take into consideration that most off the shelf devices only cover the upper teeth. Dental care experts recommend that athletes have mouth guards that cover both the upper and lower teeth.
The main reason one should consider a custom mouth guard is that better fit means better protection. If the mouth guard fits better, the more likely it is to be worn.