According to youthsportsparents.com, mouth guards primarily prevent injury to the mouth, lips, cheeks, tongue and teeth, though it is still possible for a tooth to be knocked out even when wearing a mouth guard. Mouth guards also cushion blows that potentially cause jaw fractures. For players with braces, mouth guards can prevent injury to another player caused by contact with those braces. It has also been suggested that mouth guards can protect against concussion, though that debate is still unresolved, according to youthsportsparents.com.
According to youthsportsparents.com, there are three types of mouth guards. Boil and bite guards are precisely fit to the mold of the mouth after being placed in boiling water. They are inexpensive, but they don't last as long as the other types of mouth guards and they could put pressure on cheeks and gums if not fitted well. Stock guards are also inexpensive. Often made of soft rubber, they are flexible and fit easily over braces. But they can also fit poorly in the athlete's mouth and are easily dislodges. Custom mouth guards are provided by dentists. They are the most comfortable type, fit the most precisely and offer the most protection. But they are also the most expensive and could require multiple trips to the dentist.
The September/October 2009 edition of "Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach" published a report that found mouth guards often increase the number and intensity of mouth cuts and abrasions, exposing an athlete to bacteria, yeast and fungi that the devices routinely collect. The report sited a study in which 62 college football players underwent mouth exams before and after the playing season. Some used custom-made guards and others used a boil and bite device. Of the 62 players examined at preseason testing, 75 percent of the players had oral lesions located in three different areas of the mouth (gums, cheek, and roof of mouth), By the end of the season, that number increased to 96 percent of the participants, and some of them also had oral lesions on the tongue.
According to youthsportsparents.com, mouth guards should be washed daily. Store-bought guards should be replaced after 14 days, or when they develop sharp or jagged edges, or whichever occurs first. If an oral irritation or ulcer shows up in the mouth shortly after the mouth guard's purchase, the mouth guard should be immediately replaced with one that is made of a different material and is more comfortable and provides a better fit. The same guideline applies if the mouth guard causes respiratory distress.
Athletes who use mouth guards should visit a dentist regularly.
According to Richard T Glass, a dentist and Oklahoma State University professor who published the 2009 study on mouth guards for "Sports Health," mouth guards are still an essential safety device for contact sports despite their ability to increase oral lesions.
"By no means should the value of a mouth guard be discounted," Glass said in the publication. "The protection they do offer teeth during contact sports is important. However, the length of time that a mouth guard is used and how often it is cleaned needs to be revised. A mouth guard will do your mouth good only if you keep it in good shape."