If you have ever played or watched a game of rugby you will have noticed that the players all wear mouth guards. This is because in a high-impact game like rugby your teeth are at a great risk of being knocked out during a collision. Protecting your teeth during sporting activity is very important as over half the knocked out or broken teeth seen by dentists occur as the result of sporting injuries that could have been prevented. And it is not just rugby that poses a threat to your teeth. Football, cricket, any form of martial art or boxing can all be dangerous as can any form of motor sport.

It may seem a little extreme to wear a mouth guard when taking part in any sporting activity, but the reality of a knocked out tooth is no laughing matter. Not only will you have the initial pain and sometimes agony of the accident but it doesn’t stop there. Knocked out teeth often need hours of very unpleasant and expensive dental treatment to fix. If left, missing teeth will cause an increase in dental cavities, ruin the appearance of your smile and even cause problems with your profile and facial tissue.

You’re beginning to see why mouth guards are so important. It is possible to buy mouth guards in the high street sports shops, but these are often very ill-fitting and frequently offer little more protection than not wearing one at all. Your South East London dentist will be able to offer you a fully prepared and specially designed mouth guard that will spread the impact of any collision or accident, keeping your teeth safe and your smile intact. For just a few pounds you could save yourself hours of agony and a huge amount of cash on dental replacements.

A dentist in South East London has spoken recently on the subject of Mouth Guards. Most of us associate a mouth guard with boxers, but most other sports can cause damage to the mouth and teeth and a mouth guard is advisable in all sports. They come in 3 types; general gum shields are available at most sporting shops, they are non adjustable and usually uncomfortable making it difficult to focus on your breathing and talking. The next type is called a `Boil and Bite` shield; this type is a lot better and is so called because in order to get a good fit you need to soften it by boiling it, then you use your fingers to push it into shape around the teeth. They are better to wear, you can talk with them and they offer better protection between the teeth and the mouth. The last type is a custom made one; this type is specially made by a technician for the individual and is usually associated with semi or professional sports people. The good news about Mouth Guards is that they can be, and it is recommended that they are, worn over braces to offer better protection. The Mouth Guard should be carefully cared for to keep the strength of the protection; they should be rinsed with cold water before, and after use then kept in a case to avoid squeezing. Using a tooth paste and a tooth brush to clean them is also recommended by the manufacturers. Storage is important as the most common cause of damage is improper storage, any damage such as a tear or a hole should be taken as being a sign that the guard be replaced. Damaged guards can cause more damage to a mouth and teeth than not wearing a guard at all.