Mouthguards

Seahawks green and blue have been surfacing all over our office this football season! Before game days we've been wearing our Seahawks gear. Kate, Raychel, and Kim are posing in front of an amazing work of art created by one of our patients.

During games we've noticed a flash of bright green from an unusual place on the field...the mouth! That's right, some of those Seahawks have been sporting bright green mouthguards.

Imagine what it would be like if you suddenly lost one or two of your front teeth. Smiling, talking, eating—everything would suddenly be affected. When it comes to protecting your mouth, a mouthguard is an essential piece of athletic gear that should be part of your standard equipment from an early age. In fact, studies show that athletes are 60 times more likely to suffer harm to the teeth if they’re not wearing a mouthguard.

Mouthguards, also called mouth protectors, help cushion a blow to the face, minimizing the risk of broken teeth and injuries to your lips, tongue, face or jaw. They typically cover the upper teeth and are a great way to protect the soft tissues of your tongue, lips and cheek lining.

There are three types of mouthguards: 

• Custom-fitted. These are made by your dentist for you personally. They are more expensive than the other versions, but because they are customized, they usually offer the best comfort and protection.If you'd like to sport your school colors or favorite team colors, our office can customize your mouthguard in a variety of colors!  If you prefer a more discrete mouthguard, you can see in this video how small and almost unnoticeable custom mouthguards can be.
• Stock. These are inexpensive and come pre-formed, ready to wear. Unfortunately, they often don’t fit very well. They can be bulky and can make breathing and talking difficult.
• Boil and bite. These mouth protectors can be bought at many sporting goods stores and drugstores and may offer a better fit than stock mouth protectors. They are first softened in water (boiled), then inserted and allowed to adapt to the shape of your mouth. These are bigger and more bulky than custom mouthguards, and often come in many different color assortments.

The best mouthguard is one that has been custom made for your mouth by your dentist. However, if you can’t afford a custom-fitted mouthguard, you should still wear a stock mouthguard or a boil-and-bite mouthguard. If you wear braces or another fixed dental appliance on your lower jaw, your dentist may suggest a mouth protector for these teeth as well.

This information was adapted from the American Dental Association's mouthhealthy.org. For more information on mouthguards, including tips on taking care of them, visit their website.