Sports are built around the competitive spirit. You play to win the game, and some games involve more contact than others. During these contact sports you may have required padding or helmets, but did you know that one of the most essential aspects to protecting yourself in contact sports is the mouth guard? Not only do they protect your teeth from collisions, but they provide a few different perks to wearing them. Here are a few different ways that custom mouth guards provide defense against serious injuries.
Chipped Teeth
This one is obvious, but mouth guards are crucial to protecting your smile. A play at the plate, a monumental tackle, or a ball to the face can knock your teeth out or chip them. To have your teeth repaired you’ll need an expensive trip to the dentist and that time can sideline you for the majority of the season. Custom mouth guards have become a popular option for athletes of all ages. They differ from the over-the-counter drugstore mouthguards as they are crafted to fit only your teeth. With the custom fit, they are more comfortable and they can be designed with your team colors or logo.
Head Injuries and Concussions
Concussions are the results of high-impact hits to the head where the brain absorbs the shock from the hit. One of the hidden benefits of wearing a custom mouth guard is the protection they provide against concussions. Mouth guards are made from high-absorbent material that helps take in the impact to the head. A recent study from Science Daily shows that athletes who wore store-bought mouthguards were twice as likely to suffer a concussion than athletes who wore a custom mouth guard. When there is an impact to the skull, your body’s natural reaction is to clench down, and wearing a custom mouth guard provides the max defense against the impact to your mouth.
Tongue Injuries
As mentioned above, you tend to clench down when you have both expected and unexpected impacts on your body. As you brace for impact, you risk the chance of clamping down on your tongue. A mouth guard will prevent damage from your teeth to your tongue allowing you to walk away from these collisions with your tongue still intact. There are horror stories of athletes who have gashed their tongue with their teeth, and if you play football, wrestle, or basketball, a clear mouth guard is a must. NBA superstars like Steph Curry swear by mouth guards, and you can get a custom clear mouth guard just like wears from companies like Sporting Smiles.
When suiting up for sports it only makes sense to wear all the proper equipment to protect yourself against injuries. You wouldn’t forget your shoulder pads or helmet if you were playing football so don’t risk your sport of choice without a custom-fitting mouth guard. These premium mouth guards can be ordered online without the need to leave your home from renowned companies like Sporting Smiles.