A mouth guard is an oral appliance fabricated using plastic, and used for protecting the oral cavity from injury during sports or recreational activities. These appliances are custom-made for individual patients based on their dental impressions. The mouth guard acts as a barrier between the teeth and the soft tissues to prevent severe bruising, cuts and lacerations. The teeth remain protected from fractures, wear, dislodgment from the socket, as well as direct injuries that can result in mobility.

With summer in full swing, everyone is engaging in outdoor sports. If you frequently play basketball, football, baseball, lacrosse, rugby or softball, you should get yourself a mouth guard to protect your mouth from any injuries on the field. Other activities such as cycling, skateboarding, martial arts, wrestling or boxing also put you at a greater risk of receiving direct blows to the mouth region.

Mouth guards are easy to wear and clean. Once you’re done with your outdoor recreational activities, simply remove the guard from your oral cavity, wash it thoroughly using normal water and soap. Allow the appliance to dry completely before returning it to its protective casing. Because it is fabricated using plastic, it must ideally be kept away from away from heat.

Book an appointment with your dentist today if you don’t want injuries to slow you down this summer. There are several different types of mouth guards that you can choose from depending upon the cost, and your requirement. However, it is always better to opt for a custom-fabricated sports mouth guard as it does not impair breathing or speech, and effectively protects the hard and soft tissues of the oral cavity.