Boxing and related sports involve a lot of physical contact. As a result, tooth and oral soft tissue damage are common among not just traditional boxers but also MMA fighters and martial artists. The solution is simple: wear a mouthguard.
What Is a Mouthguard?
Mouthguards are devices designed to direct impact away from a point of contact and maintain proper jaw alignment. Wearing them while boxing can help to prevent visits to Emergency Dental Services, allowing boxers to keep their natural teeth and avoid soft tissue damage even if they take direct hits to the face.
What’s the Best Mouthguard for Boxers?
A good mouthguard will be comfortable, durable, and effective at preventing injury. Over-the-counter options purchased at drug stores don’t generally fit the bill. Professional and amateur boxers should always have themselves fitted for mouthguards at a dentist’s office.
Why Wear a Mouthguard?
Some boxers try to avoid wearing mouthguards because they are concerned that these devices will make it more difficult to breathe or act as a distraction while they’re in the ring, but that’s a big mistake. Here are a few of the largest benefits of wearing a boxing mouthguard that should change anyone’s mind.
1. Protection From Long-Term Damage
Some mouth injuries are more serious than others, but even lacerated lips and bitten tongues take time to heal and cause a lot of pain in the meantime. Taking a direct hit to teeth without any kind of protection can lead to permanent damage. Wearing a mouthguard saves boxers a lot of suffering and prevents the need for extra dental office visits and recovery periods that take up time they could be spending practicing for future matches.
2. Increased Confidence in the Ring
Boxing requires just as much mental toughness as it does physical fitness. It’s common to hear top-performing athletes talk a big game before entering the ring, and all that confidence really can give them an extra competitive edge. Wearing a mouthguard can increase a boxer’s confidence by removing the need to worry about issues like having their teeth knocked out so they can focus instead on doing their absolute best in the ring.
3. Save Money on Dental Repairs
Although restorative dentists can work wonders, their services aren’t cheap. Dealing with repeated mouth injuries like chipped and knocked-out teeth can take its toll on even professional athletes’ finances. In other words, mouth injuries can be quite costly in addition to being physically painful.
Getting fitted for a high-quality mouthguard only requires one initial investment. From there, as long as boxers wear them every time they enter the ring, there will be no need to worry about exorbitant dental bills or having to head to pricey emergency dentists after every other fight. Boxers can then put all that extra money towards personal trainers and equipment to keep them in better fighting shape.
Serious athletes should never settle for using an uncomfortable and less-effective one-size-fits-all mouthguard from a sporting goods store. Schedule an appointment with a local dentist who can provide a perfectly fitted professional-grade mouthguard. It’s the only way for boxers to protect themselves effectively from the painful and expensive tooth and oral soft tissue injuries that could create unnecessary financial burdens or even keep them out of the ring.
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