Athletic Mouth Guards

For many years, certain contact sports have required the use of athletic soft rubber mouthguards. The purpose of the mouthguards is to minimize damage to the lips, teeth and adjacent oral structures. Countless numbers of athletes have successfully completed their athletic careers with all of their teeth intact because of the mouthguards.

Probably the biggest source of athletic mouthguards are those purchased at sporting goods stores. These types of mouthguards are formed to the user’s teeth by dipping them in hot water to soften them, molding them and then letting them cool. When the teeth bite into the mouthguard, the softened rubber spreads out to not only cover the teeth but also the roof of the mouth and partially obscure the airway, making some athletes feel like they could not breath well. Because of this “overflow” feeling when they are formed, many athletes cut the back portion of the dipped mouthguard off and only used it to cover the front teeth.

While this “cut down” mouthguard will protect the front teeth, it creates a significant deficiency in the protection afforded by the use of an athletic mouthguard. Research has conclusively shown that athletic mouthguards provide another significant protection, one that is lost with the “cut down” mouthguards. This protection involves lessening the risk and severity of brain concussions as well as protecting the teeth. The research showed that, by placing the molded rubber mouthguard between the teeth, especially the back teeth, when there was a blunt blow to the head, the teeth could not “smack” together from the impact, which in turn prevented a compression of the brain onto the bone of the skull. The impact of the brain on the skull is the process of “bruising” the brain, more commonly known as a “concussion”. By cutting off the back part of the mouthguard, the back teeth can, once again, smack together on impact and act to cause a concussion, even though the front teeth remain protected. For that reason, the athletic mouthguard should not be “cut down”.

A research study from Arizona showed that in women’s high school basketball, the frequency of players sustaining concussions from contact with other players or the basketball floor was the leading of cause of all head injuries in the sport. The frequency and severity of the concussion type injures significantly decreased when athletic mouthguards were used.

We are pleased to continue our in-office program of supporting the use of athletic mouthguards by making custom mouthguards for our patients to use in athletics, including, but not confined to, football (mandatory), basketball, soccer, wrestling, baseball and karate. We make the custom mouthguards at NO CHARGE to our patients. (If the first mouthguard is lost, there may be a small charge to re-make a new one). Custom mouthguards fit precisely to the teeth and are much less uncomfortable and cumbersome than those made from purchases at the local sporting good stores, negating the need to “cut down” the mouthguard. To have one made for you or your athlete(s), give the office a call to schedule an appointment! Help us to help you!!

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