The humble mouthguard has been around for over a century. Originally developed in Germany, they were intended to prevent lip lacerations among boxers. Their usefulness was quickly found to extend beyond this.

Roughly one-third of all trips to the emergency dentist in North Sydney is the result of a sports injury. Sports, including rugby, Aussie rules, cricket and soccer, all involve enough speed and force to cause a wide range of injuries to the face and mouth. Luckily, the humble mouthguard acts as a saving grace for many sportsmen and aspiring sportsmen alike. Properly fitted and worn, a mouthguard provides protection not only to your teeth, but to your mouth, jaw, tongue, and cheeks.

Mouthguards offer impact protection from an elbow, fist, or knee, but also from the ‘snapping’ action of a jaw-closing under force. This whiplash action is often enough to cause dental injuries, such as chipped teeth or cracked veneers. There is also some evidence that they can also prevent concussions, by cushioning impacts on the point of the chin.

But to reap these benefits, it is vital that your mouthguard is fitted properly. Ill-fitting mouthguards tend to get jarred loose during impacts and can interfere with speech and breathing. This can cause the user to become reticent to use them at all. Most can be moulded to your teeth by heating them in boiling water, or by getting your dentist to mould one for you.

In the interest of preserving your teeth, they are a wise investment. As your emergency dentist in North Sydney, we are here to help if you have a dental emergency.