Athletic Mouth Guards in Kitchener, ON
A mouth guard, also known as a sports guard, is recommended for any individual engaged in contact sports. They protect the teeth and the supporting bone from traumatic injury.
A nightguard is for individuals who grind their teeth at night—a condition known as bruxism. When we grind our teeth at night, we generate excessive forces that can damage the teeth as these forces are more than what we use to chew our food. The enamel of the teeth is not designed to withstand such extreme stress and can fracture, resulting in extensive dental treatment to repair or, if the tooth is beyond repair, then removal of the tooth itself.
Why Choose a Custom Guard?
The oral environment is plush with nerve endings that transmit detailed sensory inputs to the brain. It is capable of detecting the minutest variations. Our tongue can pick up the presence of an object as small as the strand of hair. A discrepancy, whether little or large, is generally detected by the tongue and cheeks and is treated as a foreign object. You’ve likely experienced this in the form of a piece of food stuck between your teeth, and the almost uncontrollable urge to run your tongue over it until it is gone.
When we purchase a device like a mouth guard or nightguard that comes in predefined sizes, the fit for the individual is not ideal and the oral environment tends to reject it. A custom-fitted device from MI Dental is much more conducive to the mouth and needs very little time getting used to.
Caring for Your Mouth Guard
If a mouth guard or nightguard is not kept clean, it develops a thin film of bacteria that harbor in its porous surface, producing an odor. When placed back in mouth in this condition, we are transferring that bacteria-laden debris right in our mouth. Not only will this lead to bad breath, but it can also result in tooth decay and gum disease.
The main idea is to keep your mouth guard clean just as we would like to keep our teeth clean. Brushing with toothpaste after use should be sufficient. Once clean, leave it in the open to dry and then store in its protective case.
If you have questions about mouth guards or nightguards, we invite you to contact our Kitchener dental office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Manzoor. He will review the different types of guards available, and help you choose the best one for your specific needs.