NW Calgary Sports Mouth Guards

Did you know that 39% of all dental injuries occur while playing some kind of sport, and of those injuries, up to 75% of those affect at least one of the most visible teeth in the mouth? Point McKay Dental is pleased to offer sports guards to help prevent or minimize such injuries.

Mouthguards vary regarding cost, comfort, and effectiveness. An ideal mouthguard is durable, resilient, and comfortable. It should fit properly, be easy to clean, and should not affect your ability to breathe. The basic categories of sports mouthguards on the market include stock-off-the-shelf mouthguards, Boil-and-bite sports mouthguards, and Custom-made sports mouthguards. While less expensive stock-off-the-shelf sports store-bought mouthguards can initially make you feel as though you are protected from impact, their protection is rather limited. With boil-and-bite mouthguards, while they do have the potential to fit better, the actual fitting process itself has a downside. When biting into the hot mouthguard when it is malleable, the thickness of the mouthguard can be reduced, and with it so is the level of protection provided. Custom-made sports mouthguards are designed and fit by your Point McKay dentist and offer the best protection against injury to your teeth and mouth.

The following are some questions you can ask to help determine if your mouthguard is effective:

• Does the mouthguard offer sufficient protection and thickness in key areas?
• Is the mouthpiece not overly bulky?
• Does the Mouthguard fit comfortably?
• Does the Mouthguard allow for natural breathing?
• Is the mouthguard tear-resistant?
• Does the mouthguard retain its form?
• Is the mouthguard odorless and tasteless?
• It is important to note that common off-the-shelf-mouthguards that are available in sporting goods stores may not meet any of these criteria, even if they are brand new! Furthermore, once they have been used for a while by the athlete and they are chewed out of their regular shape, this makes them even worse and offers even less protection. Despite this, over 90% of the mouthguards worn by athletes have been purchased at sporting goods stores.