How to Mold Mouth Guards

Mouth guards are important pieces of equipment in many sports, but they also are beneficial to non-athletes. Athletes wear them to protect their teeth from injury or damage, while people who grind their teeth at night can prevent tooth damage by wearing a mouth guard to bed. For the average person, a boil-and-bite mouth guard available from a sporting good store or the dentist is adequate protection.

Things You'll Need

• Saucepan
• Water
• Stove
• Tongs
• Cup

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Instructions

• 1

  Most mouth guards come with directions on the packaging, but generally this is how you mold them. Fill a small saucepan with water. Put the saucepan on the stove at medium-high heat until the water comes to a boil.

• 2

  Drop the mouth guard in the boiling water and let it sit for 30 seconds. This will soften up the material and make it easier to mold.

• 3

  Remove the mouth guard with a pair of tongs.

• 4

  Put your teeth in the grooves of the mouth guard and bite down. Let the mouth guard cool down for a couple seconds if it's initially too hot.

• 5

  Clench your teeth for 45 seconds to ensure the mouth guard holds its shape. Fill a cup with cold water while you are doing this.

• 6

  Remove the mouth guard after the 45 seconds and drop it in the cup of cold water. This will cool the mouth guard and cause it to keep its molded current shape.