Enjoy rugby? Boxing? Contact sports? Contact your South East London dentist about mouth guards.
30 / 08 / 2012
When playing full contact sports such as rugby or boxing it is essential to consider your dental health. Mouth guards are an easy way to protect your teeth against that stray elbow or boot which risks knocking out a tooth or two. Relatively cheap and very easy to use mouth guards offer a shield against physical injury.
Mouth guards generally rubber, sometimes plastic, and should be worn whenever there is a risk of physical damage to your teeth. Whether custom designed or loosely moulded, the mouth guard should fit your specific set of teeth. A cheap mouth guard can be immersive in boiling water briefly before inserted into the mouth and bitten on for several minutes (once it has cooled slightly). The rubber will mould itself to the shape of your teeth and will maintain that shape once cooled.
Your South East London dentist recommends having a custom-made mouth guard fitted to your exact specifications. Although these are more expensive, compared to emergence dental work they are well worth the money. Custom-made mouth guards offer fuller protection that can help beyond just the teeth by supporting the jaw and neck from strong contact. Like any sports equipment it will be necessary to replace your mouth guard on occasion as it wears down. Life spans can be extended by thoroughly washing and maintaining the guard between uses.
Mouth guards come in a huge range of colours. Your dentist will be able to show you the full range of possibilities. Mouth guards are, of course, not full proof and it is necessary to still look out for your teeth as much as possible when playing contact sports but they will provide an extra line of defence.
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