While you might think mouth guards are only for athletes who play high contact sports like football, rugby or MMA, athletes who participate in non-contact sports can still benefit from wearing a mouth guard. So, why do you need to wear a mouthguard? Simply put, to protect your teeth. 

Dental injuries in sports are a lot more common than you may think. According to the American Dental Association, a third of all dental injuries are a result from sports. Without a mouth guard athletes can put themselves at risk for chipped or broken teeth, fractured crowns or bridgework, lip and cheek injuries, root damage to the teeth. 

Statistically speaking, wearing a mouthguard WILL lower your risk of injury. A study of high school athletes found that 75 percent of injuries occurred when mouth guards were not worn and forty percent occurred during baseball and basketball.    

Types of Mouthguards

To ensure the best protection, it's important to have a mouth guard that fits and is comfortable. There are four different types of mouthguards: preformed stock guards, "boil and bite" guards, custom fit mouthguards from the dentist and custom fit mouthguards that don't require impressions from the dentist.

Here are some things to consider when choosing your guard...

Stock 

PRO

• Can be conveniently purchased from sporting goods store or pharmacy
• Inexpensive ($5-10)
• Easy to fit

CON

• Only available in limited sizes
• Inhibits speech and breathing
• Requires jaw to be closed to hold it in place
• Lack of athlete compliance (due to discomfort)
• Prone to being chewed on
• Deemed as "Unacceptable as orofacial protective device" by the Academy for Sports Dentistry (ASD)

Boil And Bite

PRO

• Can be conveniently purchased from sporting goods store 
• Easy to fit
• Relatively inexpensive ($15-40)

CON

• Bulky and uncomfortable design inhibits speech and breathing
• Prone to being chewed on (rendering it completely useless) 
• Lack of athlete compliance (due to discomfort)

Dental Custom Fit

PRO

• Individualized fit provides better protection
• Ability to talk and breathe
• Thin and comfortable - players are more likely to wear it
• Custom color options

CON

• Expensive ($100-300)
• Requires impressions from the dentist (some models allow you to do impressions yourself)
• Takes time to manufacture in a lab

Custom Fit, Impressionless  - SISU Mouthguards

PRO

• Inexpensive ($19-35)
• Instant custom fit - no impressions needed
• Perforated design provide better protection than boil and bite
• Perforations allow for natural flow of air and saliva (talk, breathe, drink)
• Thin and comfortable design (1.6mm)
• Remoldable by placing it back in hot water

CON

• Non-conventional design may be difficult to fit for first time users
• No multi-color options

You shouldn't have to dread wearing something that protects you. You deserve the best of both worlds: being protected while also being comfortable.  Investing in preventative dentistry, will save you time, money and pain in the long run.