Varieties of contact sports are enjoyed by millions across the country on a weekly basis, at amateur and professional levels. If you have taken part in a contact sport you will know the real risk of injury that can occur when you are involved in contact sport.  

Gumz Mouthguards have seen a huge increase in professional athletes in contact and non-contact sports using mouthguards to protect themselves from dental and jaw injuries

When participating in contact sport we have to comply to the rules of the game and in most contact sports it is compulsorily to wear a mouthguard to participate. But do you actually know what the mouthguard you have to wear is protecting you from?

Mouthguards are designed to protect you from suffering dental injuries when playing contact sport. Dental injuries can come in a variety of forms from –

Dental Fracture this can be a root fracture broken tooth or chipped tooth. Continual impact could cause your tooth to chip and result in bleeding.

Fracture – Dental fractures could be either a root fracture, broken tooth or a chipped without protection, your teeth could chip due to continual impact and lead to bleeding.

Avulsion- Dental avulsion is the complete displacement of a tooth from its socket in alveolar bone owing to trauma. An avulsed permanent tooth is one of the few real emergency situations in dentistry.

Luxation – This is when Displacement is accompanied by comminution or fracture. The tooth has not fallen out but is noticeably out of place.  This type of injury can be caused by high impact injuries or sustaining long term knocks to the same tooth fracturing the root.

Wearing a Mouthguard during contact and non-contact sport will help reduce the risk of dental injuries. To see the full range and prices of our custom fit Mouthguards visit the shop. 

Gumz has been working with clubs schools and athletes providing them with not only a custom fit but custom designed mouth guard. In recent years designing a mouth guard has risen in popularity this could be because of personal trends or that athletes have been using them as another way to show their personality or extend their brand awareness. This trend has then been followed buy school clubs and athletes with many amateur teams now opting for a custom fit guard so that all players are uniform.

As the popularity rises we thought we would look into the process between designing your own mouth guard with Gumz. If you are a school club or team contact us directly as with large orders we can offer group discounts and send you labelling kits for the moulds that need to be taken.

Step 1 Visit the store and select design your own gum shield. Enter your details and specifications at this stage you can email us the image you have in mind.

Step 2 Once your order has been completed we will send you an Impressions kit out in the post. This is where you use the easy to use moulding kit to ensure that your new custom mouth guard fits your mouth perfectly. Providing you with comfort and safety when using your newly design gum shield. For more information on the impression kit and a five step guide read more here.

Step 3 Wrap your mould in tissue and send it back to us. Once we have received your mould the team of dental technicians will begin making your custom fit mouth guard and adding your design.

Step 4 Once your custom designed mouth guard has been made we send it out to you for your safety and enjoyment. 

Bridge dental lab is a family run business and we truly understand the worry and concern that every parent faces when their child begins playing contact sport. You are concerned for their safety but excited to see them participate. Schools and clubs will want to ensure their safety while they are participating and for this reason you will have to purchase a mouth guard and this is where it can turn into a small mind field for parents.  

There are two options with mouth guards Boil and Bite or a custom fit Mouth Guard.

Boil and Bite this is where you buy a mouth guard at a sports shop or chemist and fit it yourself at home. Boiling the mould in hot water and then your child biting down on it to form the mouth guard.

The Second is a custom fit Mouth Guard commonly fitted by a dentist. We have put together a small list of the benefits of you getting your child a custom fit Mouth Guard.

Custom Fit Mouth Guards are more comfortable then the shop bought alternative.

It is reported that your child is 60 times safer wearing a mouth guard than not.

Dental injury can be expensive to fix. The cost of a small chip can cost the best part of £100 to fix over three times the starting price of a custom fit mouth Guard.

A custom fit guard will help absorb and spread the impact of a blow to the face, helping avoid jaw fractures and facial injuries,

Although their benefits cannot be overlooked Custom fit Mouth Guards have been seen to be an expensive option. Typically these types of Mouth Guards are supplied by dentists and it can get costly. The good news is Gumz range of custom fit Gum Guards gives you exactly the same as a dentist fitted guard with prices starting from just £30.00. To see our full range of designs you can visit the store.

Did you know that 20-30% have of 12 year olds had a dental injury. These figures seem high but as you can imagine the increased participation in sports and extra clubs as they move into secondary school has something to do with this.

The most common causes are when your child begins participating in contact sport at school or club level. This is not unsurprising as with contact sports the likeliness of a collision with other players is part and parcel of the sport. Matches tend to hold a higher rate of dental injury then training but this does not mean injuries do not occur when training to compete in a contact sport.

While the percentage of dental injuries is lower than other injuries caused by contact sport the costs of a dental injury tend to be much higher. This is why at Gumz we believe taking the correct precautionary measures are crucial to protect your child dental health and your wallet.

Many schools have a no guard no play policy when it comes to your child participating in contact sports to protect their liability and your children from suffering from dental injury. With the return to school being a costly time for parents we understand that you are looking to save money where you can. At Gumz we operate a home moulding service which allows you to dramatically reduce the costs of having a mouthguard made by your dentist.

Why are gumguards so important in sports?

The role of the mouthguard is to prevent or reduce the impact of dental injury. It particularly protects the teeth and gums but can also reduce the risk of concussion and injury to the surrounding areas such as the lips and tongue. Keeping your child safe when they are involved in contact sport is paramount and also compulsory in many schools and clubs.

For more information on our home moulding process or to view the range of designs that Gumz offer click here. Are you a school or club? We can offer discounts for large orders contact us directly to discuss your school or club needs. 

Wearing a gum shield in a boxing match is compulsory throughout the professional and amateur leagues. But when you are training do you wear a gum guard?

At Gumz we understand the importance of dental protection throughout sports. In this post we are going to look at the benefits of using a gum guard as a precautionary measure at all times.

Wearing a gum shield during sparring:

Professional coaches and boxers will recommend wearing a mouth guard during sparring. They use a mouth guard to avoid injury and ensure that you are able to participate in your next boxing match. Suffering a dental injury during training due to not wearing the correct safety gear may leave you being unable to compete while you are recovering.

Not only is it important for your health and protection to wear a mouthguard during training it also allows you to get comfortable with wearing one. It can feel rather strange at first and you do not want any additional distractions caused by discomfort when you enter the ring.

The health benefits are huge and this is why it is compulsory to wear a gum shield when in a professional or amateur fight.  Mouthguards provide dental protection which will prevent your teeth cutting your lips or the inside of your mouth when getting hit. It also gives you something to bite on helping you keep your mouth closed at all times when in the ring. Any boxers who has thought professionally or in the amateur leagues will know how vulnerable you are leaving yourself with an open mouth. Receiving a punch with an open mouth can lead to jaw dislocation and dental injury, which can be prevented by wearing a gum shield while competing and training.

At Gumz we provide pre designed and custom designed options allowing you to show your flare and individual style in and out of the ring. Take a look through the gallery where you can see many custom designs that our customers use when competing in contact sports. 

As a basketball player you will have undoubtedly seen or been involved in a dental injury, with the sport holding highest levels of dental injuries it is not uncommon to see.  With one in three players affected by a dental injury the use of mouthguards are not seen as the norm in the sport.

With such high figures for injuries we regularly ask the question why the use of mouthguards is not common practice at all levels. They sport only recommends their use and it is not compulsory for a mouth piece to be worn by all players.

In recent years professional athletes are becoming more aware of the risks associated with playing basketball. This has seen an increase in pros taking precautionary measures to ensure that they reduce risk of dental and head injuries by wearing mouthguards. With these athletes held in such high esteem by fans and aspiring players we are seeing a rise in mouthguard sales for basketball teams across the UK.

What is a dental injury?

Dental injuries caused by playing basketball are seen with different levels of severity. Although some can be more damaging then others to your health the cosmetic damage of some can have effects on player’s confidence and overall wellbeing. We have compiled a list of common dental injuries that you could avoid by wearing a mouthguard when playing basketball.

• Chipped or Broken Teeth
• Fractured Crowns or Bridgework
• Lip and Cheek Injuries
• root damage to the teeth
• Fractured Jaws
• Concussions

Why are dental injuries so common with basketball players?

Basketball is not seen as a rough sport and is not deemed as a contact sport hence there is no mandatory requirement to wear a mouthguard. Although it’s faced paced nature could be a leading factor to the high levels of dental injuries that occur when playing sport this sport at all levels. The risk of a flying elbow or a collision on the court could cause any of the above injuries and the use of a mouthguard could prevent these happening to you.

The Stats Are Staggering:

Information from a study of high school athletes in the US Source Colgate Website

75% Of Injuries occurred When No Mouthguard was worn

40% Of Injuries occurred in basketball and baseball both technically not contact sports

9% reported some sort of dental injury while playing sports

3% Suffered Concussion

56%  Of Concussions happened when the athletes was not wearing a mouthguard

At Gumz we believe the stats speak for the selves and hope that the likes of Lebron James, Stephen Curry and other NBA stars will encourage other athletes to take their dental health seriously and wear a mouthguard.

You can see our full range of Gum Guards and options we have for Schools and clubs in the shop. Any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch. 

Whether it’s a rogue ball, a vicious elbow, a sniper kick or a flying punch, there are gazillion reasons why you need to protect those pearly whites of yours.  

With safety as important as ever, you owe it to yourself to make mouthguards a top line of defense and a priority- on par with shoes, helmets and jerseys. 

But it isn’t enough to wear just any kind of mouthguard. Sure, an off-the-shelf mouthguard is cheaper than a custom fitted one, but would you rather have an ill-fitting, uncomfortable, cheap mouthguard that’s going to get your grill knocked out or a custom mouthguard that will provide serious protection from serious injuries? 

A custom designed mouthguard is well worth the investment. It allows for a snug fit and offers the best protection and comfort- which is why it is recommended by the American Dental Association. 

We created a list of the main reasons why you should choose custom fitted mouthguards from GumShields.com. So read on as this few paragraphs will help you protect your smile and by extension change the quality of your life. 

A Custom Fitted Mouthguard Has the Right Protection 

Even in the world of custom, not all mouthguards are created equal. Everyone’s mouth is different. As a matter of fact, two of the most important questions to ask when getting a mouthguard are: How does it fit? What’s the thickness? I set out to solve these questions and more. 

For newbies, a custom mouthguard is designed by a dentist taking into account the individual structure of your mouth. The dentist will make an impression of your mouth and create a suitable mouthguard with the cast model using either a vacuum machine or thermal pressure. With a product made to suit the unique structure of your mouth, you can be sure that custom mouthguards are more protective than any other type of mouthguard. 

A Custom Fitted Mouthguard Is Comfortable 

Off-the-shelf boil and bites are made to fit every mouth, and in most cases end up becoming an unsightly blob of plastic hanging right from the mouth. Here’s why: With the boil and bite method, the essence is to create a molding that's not really designed to be molded. What you get is a loose mouthguard that cannot retain its shape. At the end of the day, it doesn’t fit well and gets downright uncomfortable. 

Custom designed mouthguards are made to fit intimately in the mouth of every individual. The precision creates a molding that fits the bill- thick where protection is required and thin where comfort is needed. Additionally, custom mouthguards are neither loose nor slack- they retain shape and fit perfectly over teeth without inhibiting growth or alignment. 

A Custom Fitted Mouthguard Has Superior Performance 

In team sports like football or hockey, communication is not only important; it is necessary. While a mouthguard will protect you from injury, it shouldn’t look like you have a sock stuffed in your mouth.  

Unlike other mouthguards that lose their shape or constantly fall out, a mouthguard from GumShields.com fits securely and allows you to speak unimpeded. This means better communication, better performance and better results. 

Summary 

Let’s face it, mouthguards don’t just protect your teeth, they enhance them too! With the ability to go all chic and fashionable, you instantly get access to an array of colored mouthguards with cool names and trendy logos. Ask yourself this: would you prefer to be the girl or guy with a hoary boil and bite mouthguard or a hippy star with a sleek, custom-built, intimidating mouthguard? This is one of the main reasons to contemplate having it in the first place really.