Importance of Mouthguards in Dentistry
When you hear of preventive dentistry, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Many people understand preventive dental care to mean dental services that help protect teeth from dental cavities and tooth decay. While there is truth in that, there is much preventive dentistry than merely fighting dental cavities and other tooth infections. This allows for the existence of other dental appliances like mouthguards that serve a different role other than protecting teeth from infections.
What Are Mouthguards?
They are oral devices made of plastic-like materials that are used to protect the front teeth from external impact. Mouthguards in NJ come in different styles and are designed, all tailored for individual preferences. The general role of mouthguards is to act as a shock-absorber for your oral cavity upon dental inquires and accidents. As such, you will hear about the use of mouthguards commonly among sportspersons, more so those engaged in high-contact sports.
More About Mouthguards
Unless you have had one or more of your teeth knocked out before, you may not understand how traumatic it is to suffer dental trauma caused by accidents and injuries. You are susceptible to deep open wounds, lost teeth, broken or chipped teeth, jaw fractures, among other things, when you suffer dental injuries. It is why dental experts recommend getting mouthguards near you as a preventive dental care measure.
Mouthguards in Paramus, NJ, are designed for the sole purpose of protecting your teeth from dental trauma. The way mouth protectors are designed, allows them to cushion your teeth. This way, when you encounter an external impact on your face or jaw, the force will not severely damage your teeth and jaw. Technically, many people who use mouthguards in Paramus get away without any trauma, while others only sustain slight injuries.
Are Mouthguards Really Necessary?
It is illogical to spend the rest of your life wearing mouthguards because you are afraid of dental injuries and their consequences thereof. Therefore, no dentist would recommend you to wear mouthguards in 07652 for the rest of your life. Instead, the mouth protectors are used on a need basis. Some people need these oral devices more than others. Some of the instances where mouthguards are absolutely essential for you, include the following:
- If you are an athlete – some sports have a higher risk of incurring dental injuries than others. They include boxing, soccer, football, rugby, to mention a few. If you are such an athlete, even your coach and teammates will recommend that you get mouthguards to guard your teeth and jawbone.
- For children and teenagers – although they should not have to wear mouthguards all the time, the mouth protectors are useful for them during the hyperactive ages. As a parent, have your child wear a mouthguard when they are put trying out new outdoor activities. In this case, mouthguards work similarly to knee pads and helmets.
- For vigorous physical activities – even though you are not necessarily an athlete, if you tend to participate in very vigorous physical activities, you should consider using mouthguards to protect your jaw and teeth.
Are Mouthguards Effective?
The primary purpose of mouthguards is to protect your oral cavity from incurring severe damage as a result of dental injuries and accidents. In that, mouthguards are effective given that they absorb most of the shock from the outside impact. However, you cannot expect mouth protectors to completely shield your mouth, so that you do not suffer any kind of trauma. Usually, the degree of damage you incurred will be significantly lower when you have mouthguards than not. In that case, should you still have sore gums, a slightly painful jawbone, or any other aspects of injuries, do not think that your protectors were not effective. They may reduce and minimize the effects of the impact, but they do not eliminate all the impact incurred.
Besides, it also depends on the type of mouth protector you have. The best kind of mouthguard is the one designed by a dentist near you, carefully tailored to your oral cavity for a perfect fit. These kinds of mouthguards are more effective than the pre-made ones available over the counter.