Every athlete that engages in contact sports should have a mouth guard or a gum shield. Most athletes own at least one mouth guard or gum shield, however this is often a cheap store bought product that is ill-fitting and offers minimal protection. For a beginner, a basic mouth guard is probably good enough to see them through practice, however when you get serious about training or competing, it's a good idea to upgrade to a dentist fit mouth guard.
The price range for mouth protection is quite large; the cheapest products cost just a few dollars, and custom fit ones with fancy designs can cost a few hundred dollars. Mouth guards are designed to protect your teeth and gums, and also spread the impact of blows to the jaw, reducing the chances of you suffering a concussion.
Boil and bite mouth guards are the cheapest kind; they are useful for casual athletes, and people who are just getting into a sport. However, many of these mouth guards are too small for adults, and do not cover the rear molars. This makes the mouth guard almost completely worthless.
Properly fitted mouth guards can be made by dentists. Your dentist may allow you to take the mould away with you so that you can order new mouth guards from it at a later date. You can get more than one mouth guard made, so that you have a spare that you know is a comfortable fit. There is a large price difference between dentist-fit mouth guards and stock ones, but the added protection of a dentist-fit one makes them worth the money.
Don't be too impressed by the insurance coverage that many mouth guard manufacturers promote in their leaflets. While it's easy to be wowed by the impressive coverage offered by many store bought mouth guards, the terms of the insurance can be rather restrictive; focus on choosing a mouth guard that fits well and offers good protection, rather than looking at insurance figures.
For a casual athlete, or someone just trying a sport for the first time, a boil and bite product may be sufficient. The extra expense of a custom fit mouth guard will pay for itself if you ever take a hard blow to the mouth. Don't try to save money by skimping on protecting your mouth and your head. Investing in protecting your teeth today will save you from painful dental work later on!
http://www.melonidds.com
The price range for mouth protection is quite large; the cheapest products cost just a few dollars, and custom fit ones with fancy designs can cost a few hundred dollars. Mouth guards are designed to protect your teeth and gums, and also spread the impact of blows to the jaw, reducing the chances of you suffering a concussion.
Boil and bite mouth guards are the cheapest kind; they are useful for casual athletes, and people who are just getting into a sport. However, many of these mouth guards are too small for adults, and do not cover the rear molars. This makes the mouth guard almost completely worthless.
Properly fitted mouth guards can be made by dentists. Your dentist may allow you to take the mould away with you so that you can order new mouth guards from it at a later date. You can get more than one mouth guard made, so that you have a spare that you know is a comfortable fit. There is a large price difference between dentist-fit mouth guards and stock ones, but the added protection of a dentist-fit one makes them worth the money.
Don't be too impressed by the insurance coverage that many mouth guard manufacturers promote in their leaflets. While it's easy to be wowed by the impressive coverage offered by many store bought mouth guards, the terms of the insurance can be rather restrictive; focus on choosing a mouth guard that fits well and offers good protection, rather than looking at insurance figures.
For a casual athlete, or someone just trying a sport for the first time, a boil and bite product may be sufficient. The extra expense of a custom fit mouth guard will pay for itself if you ever take a hard blow to the mouth. Don't try to save money by skimping on protecting your mouth and your head. Investing in protecting your teeth today will save you from painful dental work later on!
http://www.melonidds.com
