Why should I wear a Mouth Guard to play sports?

According to the Australian Dental Association (ADA), about one-third of traumatic injuries to teeth are sports-related. A custom-made mouth guard can protect your teeth by spreading the impact of any blow or knock to the mouth.

If you play sports you should consider wearing a custom-made mouth guard.

SmileCo Dentists’ recommends a mouth guard to be worn where there is a possibility of direct contact with the face, these includes sports such as football, soccer, netball or cricket. Even an accidental knock to the face or teeth with an elbow in a low contact sport can cause serious dental injury to your teeth or bone. Some injuries can cause lifetime dental expense and we want to help prevent this.

Mouth guards made by SmileCo Dentists are custom-made and are of better quality than over the counter products. These mouth guards are generally ill-fitting, bulky and hard to wear. SmileCo’s custom-made mouth guards are specially designed allowing you to bite, speak and breathe normally.

How can I get a custom-made mouth guard?

Our Dentists will take an impression of your teeth, jaw and soft tissue to fabricate your mouth guard to fit you personally.

How often should I get a new mouth guard?

Mouth guards for growing children should be checked regularly as baby teeth are lost, adult teeth erupt and jaw growth occurs. Ask your Dentist to check your child’s mouth guard at the “No Gap” 6 monthly check up.

For adults, a well maintained mouth guard can last a long time. After every use, mouth guards should be washed with cold water, kept in the box provided and out of direct sunlight. Routinely ask your dentist to check your mouth guard for defects or wear facets at your “No Gap” 6 monthly check up.

Bruxism is the process of clenching and/or grinding of your teeth at night time.  This occurs during sleep and is usually subconscious.  This process is very common for both children and adults and can result in very large forces being exerted upon the teeth.  As a result of these forces, it is common to wear down the enamel and cause cracking of the back teeth.

We recommend the use of a custom made night guard which protects your teeth while you sleep to prevent any damage from excess forces.  This guard can also keep your jaw in a more relaxed position to help reduce and prevent pain in the muscles of the jaw as well as the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).  The guard is made of high-quality materials allowing for both comfort and longevity.

You may be a bruxer if you:

• Wake up with headaches or jaw pain
• Suffer from regular headaches
• Notice yourself clenching your teeth when you’re stressed
• Are told by a partner you were grinding in your sleep
• Have teeth that seem to break or appear worn, and you aren’t sure why

Long-term bruxism can lead to many dental problems. People who grind their teeth are more likely to experience jaw pain, broken or worn teeth, and chronic pain in their teeth and jaw (TMJ).

At SmileCo we can work with you to diagnose the cause, and offer a range of solutions to control bruxism before it damages your teeth. Commonly we can use muscle relaxants, targeted to the jaw, to reduce bruxism. These treatments soften the jaw muscles without affecting normal speech, chewing or smiling.