Keep Teeth Straight and Healthy with a Mouthguard

Mouthguards Aren’t Just For Rocky Anymore!

For many of us, the most vivid image that comes to mind when someone mentions a mouthguard is one on the television screen when the camera zooms in to a boxer taking a hit to the face and spitting a mouthguard out. For parents, though, the image they see would be their child with a mouthguard sticking out of the front of their face while they smile from the sidelines of their first big game. But mouthguards do more than protect athletes and provide us with cute pictures. To make sure you don’t wait to get a mouthguard till your teeth are broken, Dr. Miller, a dentist in Dallas, TX has some convincing reasons to share with you.

Mouthguards for Sports Protection

First, to confirm the athletic benefit of mouthguards, we would like to remind you of just how beneficial they are to athletes. They are used in professional boxing, football, hockey and have even found their way into the NBA and professional soccer. We can’t make every professional athlete wear these small but helpful pieces of rubber, but we wish we could. If you have a child playing any sport on a regular basis, we would suggest finding a mouth guard that works for them. They protect against blows to the mouth that can knock out, or even shatter teeth. They also prevent dangerous clenching during big hits or big falls.

Mouthguards Protect Teeth From Grinding While Working Out

What other ways can a mouthguard work for you, though? We know that team sports, which can involve damaging contact to the mouth, are definitely areas where a mouth guard can help protect the wearer. But what about running and weightlifting, or other activities that don’t involve other people and possible injuries? Recent studies have shown that the use of a mouth guard during exercise may improve performance and recovery time. Don’t believe it? It’s worth trying.

Grind Teeth While Sleeping? Get a Mouthguard!

You may also want to try using a mouthguard if you’re experiencing jaw pain or headaches, and even lack of sleep, due to grinding of the teeth during the night. There are many factors that may lead to teeth grinding, or bruxism, but one of the more common reasons for this annoying, and often destructive, disorder is stress. We can’t help you reduce the stress in your life, and you can’t do it immediately, but what you can do is begin trying different mouth guards to see if one works for you. The mouthguard gives your teeth a soft surface to bite into, which relieves strain on your teeth, your jaw, and even your nerves.

Seriously, For the Sake of Your Teeth, Get a Mouthguard!

If you decide to try mouthguards, you can set up a dentist appointment online to get the best fitting mouthguard for your mouth. Your dentist will explain how to care for a mouthguard to increase longevity and possibly even fit you for a customized mouthguard for greater comfort.