Mouth guards

An active lifestyle calls for active safety, and while helmets, goggles and knee pads have become standard equipment to protect our bodies, it's important to remember to protect our teeth as well. Mouth guards offer an easy, reliable method to cushion your teeth during athletic and recreational activity.

We normally recommend the boilable mouth guard. These are the least expensive and are available at most stores that sell sports equipment. They are formed to the teeth by heating the mouth guard and shaping to fit the teeth.

Follow the directions on the package prior to inserting the mouth guard into the mouth. Place a thin strip of wax over the top braces. Take your fingers and mold the wax to the brackets. Then insert the mouth guard into the mouth, bite down and seal your lips tightly. Wait about 30-40 seconds, then remove the mouth guard from the mouth. Rinse mouth guard with cold water. The wax will be in the mouth guard or on the brackets. At this time, you will remove the wax from the brackets if the fit is comfortable for you. Repeat if it is not a comfortable fit.

When Caring for your mouth guard, make sure that you rinse it under cold water after each use. Clean your mouth guard with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Store your mouth guard in a container so it will not get lost or damaged. It may be necessary to remold or replace the mouth guard as children grow, lose baby teeth and have permanent teeth come in.