As an athlete or an avid player of sports, it's important that you protect yourself from injuries as much as possible. This is especially true if you play contact sports like rugby or sports that utilise projectiles like hockey and tennis. One of the most important areas to protect is your mouth. Mouth injuries can cause painful injuries and lead to a lifetime of costly dental work.

While boil-and-bite mouthguards and those that you can buy in sports stores provide some protection, they lack in three important areas. Sports mouthguards, however, have these three areas covered.

1. Custom Mouthguards Work With Dental Issues

Unlike boil-and-bite and store mouthguards, a mouthguard created for you by a dentist takes into account any existing dental issues that you might have. For instance, if one of your teeth is crooked, wearing a store-bought mouthguard will be uncomfortable. Moreover, it may make the problem worse since the constant pressure could move the tooth even more.

Moreover, because you need to bite down on boil-and-bite mouthguards to keep them in place, you could suffer pain if you have teeth or gums that need dental treatment. However, since your dentist will already be aware of any existing dental issues you may have, they can design your custom mouthguard to work with — not against — existing dental problems.

2. Custom Mouthguards Make Breathing Easier

During sports, breathing in an efficient manner is obviously very important. When you are unable to breathe due to ill-fitting store-bought or boil-and-bite mouthguards, your performance will suffer. And if you have to adjust your mouthguard during a game, this can put you at risk of injury.

However, because your dentist knows your mouth and its structure, they can design a mouthguard that helps you breathe easily while you play.

3. Custom Mouthguards Can Be Tweaked for Different Sports

Some sports, like rugby, require thicker mouthguards that offer more protection to athletes. Conversely, sports like badminton or tennis don't require you to wear a thick mouthguard since they are not contact sports, and the risk of injury is lower. A standard store or boil-and-bite mouthguard won't give you any room for change no matter what your sport.

This could compromise your safety, especially if you play a tough contact sport like rugby. A much better route to take would be to have your dentist create a mouthguard that is designed specifically for your particular sport. That way, you have a safe and practical mouthguard to protect you while you play.

Are you thinking of playing more sports in the future? Then consider talking to your dentist about getting a custom-made mouthguard. Though costly, they will protect you from infinitely more expensive oral injuries in the future.

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