Why Do We Wear Mouth Guards?

Mouth guards have a variety of uses that can be categorized into sports and medical. First used around the late part of the 19th century, they are now widely incorporated into many sporting activities as well as a tool for dental health.

History

• Mouth guards were first made in London by a dentist named Woolf Krauze in 1890. They were designed to protect boxers who are prone to damaged teeth and lips. They became adopted by various sports organizations, schools, and eventually many professional sports as required equipment in order to protect players.

Types of Mouth Guards

• The basic mouth guard is designed to protect the teeth from impacts common to sports and are used widely at various levels of competition. In addition to the basic style, mouth guards can be designed to deal with bruxism (teeth-grinding), TMD (a jaw joint-disorder), as well as teeth bleaching. The design and materials used depends on the intended purpose of the mouth guard.

Materials

• Today's mouth guards are made from a variety of materials such as ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), latex rubber, acrylic resin, and polyurethane. Each material has its advantages and disadvantages, but each one can be manipulated for various the applications needed.

Properties

• There are a few properties of mouth guards which can be measured due to the materials used and their shape. One property is the shock-absorbing capability. Others include hardness, stiffness, tensile strength, and water absorption. The properties will differentiate the various types of mouth guards and will determine their use and purpose.

Usefulness

• The mandated use of mouth guards in sports has resulted in a significant reduction in the number of dental injuries. In addition, their use in the treatment of myriad dental conditions have made them a commonly used tool by orthodontists and dentists.