Q. My children play sports that put their teeth at risk. Is a mouth guard the right solution?
A. One of the worst scenarios for any parent, as well as anyone who is involved in contact heavy sports is what they would do in the event that their tooth is knocked out. A lot of sports require the participants to wear mouth guards – from acrobatics, boxing, mixed martial arts, rugby and football to name but a few, and there are different types of mouth guards that you can get, which will provide different levels of protection.
Talk to your dentist and discuss the benefits of the options available. A custom-made mouth guard is probably the best option available and will be uniquely designed by your dentist. First, impressions of your teeth will be made and using special material, the mouth guard will be molded over the model.
They’re a bit more expensive but provide better comfort and more importantly, protection! Cheaper, ready-made mouth guards are widely available in numerous sports shops and come
in various sizes but don’t really allow for any adjustment for the person who will be wearing it.
The other option is a ‘boil & bite’ mouth guard, which is made out of thermoplastic and placed in hot water to enable it to soften and then be molded around the teeth with pressure.
Losing a tooth would mean not being able to smile, talk or even eat properly – meaning so many crucial day-to-day functions would become difficult all of a sudden. Until your teeth are gone, you might not really consider the implications of losing them.