Mouth guards attach to the face mask of the football helmet and are centered in front of the player's mouth for easy access. Mouth guards are important in contact sports to help prevent concussions, but also can help protect teeth. Over 5 million teeth are knocked out every year, and Dr. Dan Peterson of Family Gentle Dental Care says 13 to 39 percent of all dental injuries result from sports.
Location
You should attach your mouth guard to the face mask of your helmet. Since most mouth guards have a string or a long rubber attachment, it is best to wrap that long portion around the bottom rung of the face mask. Line the mouth guard up with the center of the face mask to ensure it will be easy and convenient to fit directly into your mouth when you put on your helmet.
Attachment
Position the mouth guard "face up" so it is lined up inside the helmet the way you want it to fit in your mouth. Wrap the string or rubber attachment around the bottom rung of the face mask, and clip or pull the end of the string through the corresponding hole that is closer to the mouth guard. Make sure the mouth guard is firmly attached to the face mask to avoid it falling out of your helmet during practice or during a game.
Types
Three types of mouth guards are available for football players: stock, boil-and-bite and custom-made. Stock mouth guards are readily available in sporting goods stores. They are the least expensive and the provide the least amount of protection. These mouth guards only fit inside your mouth when you bite down and will not stay in on their own. Boil-and-bite mouth guards are slightly more costly and allow you to customize the fit by placing the mouth guard in boiling water to soften the material, then placing it in your mouth and biting down to custom-fit the guard. Custom-made mouth guards can be very expensive and may be obtained from your dentist. The dentist takes a mold of your teeth, then may send the mold to a lab for a heat-molded plastic guard. Custom-made mouth guards can be worn with braces and are more durable than boil-and-bite guards.
Considerations
If you find it hard to comfortably place your mouth guard in your mouth while it is attached, you may want to consider moving the attachment up to the higher rung of the face mask. This will give the cord more slack and make it easier for the mouth guard to reach your mouth. Select the type of mouth guard that fits in your mouth most comfortably. Some companies make several sizes of the boil-and-bite variety to fit football players from pee-wee to professional. You should be able to breathe easily and not feel like you are gagging or choking when you put the mouth guard in your mouth. If you experience either of these problems, trim down your mouth guard or purchase a smaller size.
References
- Family Gentle Dental Care; Mouthguards; Dr. Dan Peterson; February 2008
- American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons: Consumers Guide to Choosing the Right Mouth Guard
- YouTube.com; Football Tips : How to Attach a Mouth Guard to a Football Helmet; Jesse Shale; March 2010
- Sports Dentistry: Types of Athletic Mouthguards
