A mouth guard, also known as a mouthpiece or gum shield, is a device used to protect the teeth, gums and lips. Mouth guards are often used by football players, boxers or any athlete at risk of getting hit in the mouth. Your doctor may prescribe a mouth guard if you grind your teeth at night or to treat certain skeletal disorders involving the mouth.
History
According to the "British Journal of Sports Medicine," mouth guards were invented in 1890 by Woolf Krause, a London dentist. The first gum shields were developed to protect boxers from cuts to the lip. At that time, mouth guards were not molded to wearers' mouths. Mouth guards had to be held in place by clenching the teeth. Today, mouth guards are recommended for use in 30 different sports.
Perioral Dermatitis
While there are few recorded incidences of skin reactions from wearing a mouth guard, it is possible that if you have sensitive skin, you could be reacting to an ingredient in your mouthpiece. Perioral dermatitis is a common skin problem that causes tiny red bumps around the mouth. It usually occurs in females, but can occur in males as well. The main causes are prolonged use of topical corticosteroids, but cosmetics and other topical ingredients can cause a breakout. Before treating your rash with a medication, you should stop wearing the mouth guard for a few days and see if the outbreak clears up.
Oral Injuries
Protective athletic mouth guards have been linked to oral injuries that can lead to soft tissue reactions like thickening of the skin, abnormal redness of the skin and ulcers, which can be similar in appearance to a rash. In a 2009 study published in the journal "Sports Health," lead researcher Richard Glass studied oral injuries caused by wearing protective athletic mouth guards. After half a season of wearing them while playing division I football, 14 athletes out of 62 developed oral lesions on their gums, tongue, palate and on the insides of their cheeks. After a full season, the intensity of the lesions increased.
Mouth Guard Care
In a 2009 study published in the journal "Dental Traumatology," researchers in Turkey found that out of 768 college athletes surveyed, none wore oral protective devices. Out of 50 coaches surveyed, 64 percent reported seeing oral trauma in their students and 76 percent of coaches wanted to see mouth guards used in school sports. In the United States, using a mouth guard in many organized sports is non-negotiable. To cope with oral problems caused by the devices, Dr. Glass suggests sanitizing your mouthpiece daily with an antimicrobial denture-cleaning solution and replacing the mouthpiece when it becomes sharp and jagged or when you develop irritation in or around your mouth.
References
- Goliath Business News: Mouthguards in the American Hockey League
- British Journal of Sports Medicine: Do Mouthguards Prevent Concussion?
- The Skin Site: Perioral Dermatitis Mouth Rash
- Sports Health: Protective Athletic Mouthguards: Do They Cause Harm?
- PubMed.gov: Use of Mouthguard Rates Among University Athletes During Sport Activities in Erzurum, Turkey
- Los Angeles Times: Athletic Mouth Guards Protect Teeth, But May Pose Other Problems
