Mouth guards - smilesavers for athletes Published Sept. 16, 2008 By Tech. Sgt. Eugene Von Bon 27th Special Operations Aerospace Medicine Squadron CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Cyclists usually remember to wear a helmet. Paintball players wouldn't be caught dead without their face masks. And we all know to buckle up when riding in a car. Yet one of the most neglected pieces of protective gear is the athletic mouth guard. We've all seen professional and college football games; mouth guards are everywhere on the field, and for good reason. It doesn't take much relative force from a chance collision to chip, break, or knock out a tooth. Mouth guards work by spreading the force of an impact over a larger area and sharing it with multiple teeth instead of just one. They cushion the impact between top and bottom teeth. Mouth guards also limit the chances of a concussion, but won't make your teeth indestructible. While wearing one, a hard enough hit can still be damaging; but mouth guards will eliminate most traumas and greatly reduce the rest. There are two major types of mouth guards: "boil-and-bite" and custom. A "boil-and-bite" can be purchased at many retail and sporting goods stores. It is submerged for a short time in boiling water to soften it. You then bite on it until it cools and conforms to your teeth. A custom mouth guard is made by a dentist. The dentist takes an impression of your teeth and then fabricates the mouth guard on a model of your teeth. The result is a mouth guard that closely conforms to your teeth. Both types of mouth guards are effective in preventing injuries. A custom mouth guard is a little more comfortable and will have less of a chance of falling out. A high quality "boil-and-bite" properly fit to the teeth can be just as good. In terms of cost, time, and life impact, mouth guards benefit the individual and the Air Force. Compare 30 minutes for a mouth guard to hours of treatment and months of healing. Both types of mouth guards have no affect on your ability to deploy. However, the treatment usually required for dental injuries can significantly impact one's readiness status. The American Dental Association and the American College of Sports Medicine highly recommends that everyone who plays a contact sport wear a mouth guard. These include, but aren't limited to, all types of football, soccer, basketball, martial arts, skating, skateboarding, and extreme cycling. The base dental clinic offers appointments for custom mouth guards to active duty. We also offer free "boil-and-bite" mouth guards to dependents and active duty; just stop by the clinic anytime during normal duty hours. Contact the base dental clinic at 784-4041 for any questions.