If you have braces AND play sports, you may worry about how to best protect your teeth and orthodontic appliances. After all, you put in a lot of time, money and commitment to those braces and you don’t want anything bad to happen. Protecting your teeth in sports usually involves a mouth guard, but there are other precautions you can take as well.
Types of Mouth Guards
There are many types of mouth guards you can use to protect your teeth. Your orthodontist can recommend the best option for you:
- Stock Mouth Protectors: These you can buy at the store and pop them in your mouth. They’re inexpensive and can be found at any sporting goods store.
- Boil and Bite Protectors: These must be softened up in boiling water before you put them in your mouth and bite down. These devices, made from thermoplastic materials, mold to your teeth and gums, offering somewhat of a custom fit. If molded incorrectly they can interfere with your orthodontic treatment and should be checked by a professional.
- Custom Fit Protectors: For a truly custom fit, though, you’ll need an individually designed protector made in a dental office or lab from an impression of your teeth. This is a more expensive option than the above two due to the time and materials involved, but it is far superior in terms of comfort and protection.
You need a mouth guard if you play a contact sport such as hockey, football, soccer or boxing, or participate in recreational activities such as skateboarding and mountain biking. This device will help prevent many injuries affecting the tongue, gums, lips and soft tissues, as well as the teeth themselves. Injuries that can be avoided include tooth loss, nerve damage, broken teeth, chipped teeth, broken brackets and snapped metal.
Those with braces should always wear mouth guards, and should never wear retainers while playing sports.
Wearing a helmet is also essential when playing sports. While a helmet alone won’t protect your teeth, it will provide an added layer of protection – particularly if you choose one with a mouth guard. You can also wear lip protectors to make sure no cuts or damage can occur to the soft tissue of the mouth.
Another way to protect your mouth during sports is to nix the sports drinks and just go with water instead. It’s important to make healthy choices when you are being physically active, especially if you happen to wear braces. Those sports drinks contain lots of sugar and can cause cavities. You don’t want to have to worry about filling a cavity while wearing braces – your poor mouth has had enough already!
Call Drs. Savage, Sabol and Visser at one of our five convenient locations to make your appointment. We can recommend the best solution when it comes to mouth guards for your total protection.
