Best Ways to Guard Your Teeth During Contact Sport

During contact sports, the first thing on the minds of all players – after winning of course – is protecting themselves. Getting off the field with little to no injuries is a priority, and while most people worry about their bodies, the mouth should be a focal point of worry. Your smile is part of what makes you you and you should strive to protect it at all costs. Also, it’s easier and cheaper to prevent injuries than it is to get emergency dental treatment. So, here are some of the best ways to guard your teeth during contact sports.

1. Wear a Mouthguard

Mouthguards protect your teeth from grinding during sleep, strenuous activities, or moments of high concentration. Teeth grinding drills microscopic holes in your teeth and lead to a series of oral health issues. Mouthguards also protect your teeth from the force of impact during contact sports so you won’t lose any teeth. Another benefit of wearing a mouthguard is that it prevents lip and tongue injuries caused by accidentally biting down hard on them. Furthermore, mouthguards protect your teeth from chipping or breaking during sports.

Mouthguards are usually designed specially for your teeth through custom orders. You can get one from your dentist or straight from a manufacturer. If you choose to buy one from your dentist, they will take an impression of your teeth then send the imprint to a dental lab for production of the mouth guard. This takes more time and is more expensive, so it’s best to skip the middle man.

Store-Bought or Custom Made?

Mouthguards can also be bought over the counter at stores, but this is not advisable. Over the counter mouthguards are cheap but don’t offer much protection or comfort. They are made with generic sizes and won’t be a perfect fit for your mouth. A mouthguard doing its job is highly dependent on it being a perfect fit. Also, having an uncomfortable mouthguard makes you more likely to skip it when kitting up. So, dump your store-bought mouthguard for a custom made one that can protect you.

1. Put on a Helmet

If your sport doesn’t already call for it, consider incorporating helmets into your uniform. Helmets not only protect you from brain damage and injuries to your skull, but they can also protect you from injuries to your jaw and mouth. Helmets are designed to be shock absorbers, so they prevent the force of impacts from doing any real damage to you. They don’t give 100% protection, but they help to lower the risk of serious injury.

Make sure your helmet is sturdy. Replace it after any significant hit or if you notice any dents or cracks in it.

1. Wear a Face Cage for Your Face and Jaw

Rugby and hockey players usually wear facial cages. Facial cages protect your face, mouth, and jaw from the force of impact during contact sports and resultant injuries. Facial cages provide a layer of protection for your teeth and jaw and reduce the risk of serious injuries, chipped teeth, teeth loss, and broken jaws. A face cage does not provide 100% protection from injury, but it’s better than no protection at all. So, be sure to wear one while playing your sport; even during practice.

1. Use Shock Absorbent Equipment

If your sport is played indoors, try to ensure that all the equipment is shock absorbent to prevent injuries. If your playing space isn’t shock absorbent, pad the floors, walls, and equipment with rubber or foam or buy equipment made with rubber.

If your sport takes place outdoors, make sure your field is specially created to cushion falls. Pick a field with plenty of grass that’s well cared for or one with deep sand. These ensure that a fall doesn’t lead to severe injuries or cause you to lose a tooth or teeth.

Conclusion

None of these protection methods offer 100% protection, but it’s better to get reduced risk than pay for a dental emergency especially if you don’t have dental insurance.

Talk to your coach about incorporating safety measures and risk-averse plays into your sport if you don’t already have such in place.

Keep in mind that even low contact sports require protection for your teeth and jaw. All sports make you prone to injury so always protect yourself, especially your smile.

Remember to replace your protective gear at the beginning of every season even if they don’t look like they need to be changed. Protective equipment become less effective the longer they are used.

Finally, visit your dentist to discuss ways to protect your teeth and jaw while playing your sport. Also, schedule regular checkups so you can detect issues early and fix them before they become too severe or expensive.