You would have surely witnessed some football match where the player bangs into his opponent’s chest while running after the ball and knocks him down. The referee whistles for a penalty and the play resumes. Such a scuffle is very common over playground but have you ever pondered over the fact that how these players manage to stay fit despite these injuries. They remain sturdy for longer time as compared to others. It is not only their fitness regime which saves them from bruises but the guards worn by them solve the purpose.
There are various kinds of shields which players wear along with their sports dress to save themselves from any big injury. The most imperative device used by all players for their jaw protection is a Gum shields. It is a mouth piece which covers the teeth and gums to prevent and reduce injury to the teeth, arches, lips and gums. It saves teeth from an unexpected fracture or any breakage. Health department states it compulsory for the players to wear necessary guards while playing on the field. The American Dental Association has estimated that over 200,000 sports-related oral injuries are prevented each year by the use of mouth guards.
Human gums are very sensitive so they pain more if injured. A mouth cover saves teeth, gums and its soft tissues because the upper and lower jaws are not brought forcefully together, and the front teeth are padded. Gum shields is undeniable in few sports like baseball, boxing, mixed martial arts, puroresu, rugby, wrestling, football, American football, Australian football, lacrosse, basketball, figure skating, hockey, underwater hockey, Field Hockey, water polo, skiing, and snowboarding. These are the sports where deliberate or accidental impacts to the face and jaw may hurt the player. A jaw affliction may cause damage to the brain of sportsman. Mouthguards also prevent and reduce harm levels of such brain clouting which results out of teeth impairment.
There are various types of Gum shields:
•Stock Mouth Guards: These are the regular size of Gum shields. They are inexpensive but give less protection to your teeth as that of others. They are not very durable too, so picking up these guards is really not advisable for sports’ people.
•Boil and Bite Guards: Approximately 90% of the the Gum shields used in various sports is ‘boil and bite guard’. The thermoplastic used in it is deformed by the heat of mouth and protection is suffered.
•Custom Sports Guards: Custom made gumsheilds give better performance as they are more protective. By far the best type of custom sports guards is Pressure Laminated Mouth Guard, which is the first of every sportsman.
•Stock Mouth Guards: These are the regular size of Gum shields. They are inexpensive but give less protection to your teeth as that of others. They are not very durable too, so picking up these guards is really not advisable for sports’ people.
•Boil and Bite Guards: Approximately 90% of the the Gum shields used in various sports is ‘boil and bite guard’. The thermoplastic used in it is deformed by the heat of mouth and protection is suffered.
•Custom Sports Guards: Custom made gumsheilds give better performance as they are more protective. By far the best type of custom sports guards is Pressure Laminated Mouth Guard, which is the first of every sportsman.
Apart from being widely used in sports, Gum sheilds are also used in the treatment for bruxism or TMD and in tooth whitening process.
