A gum shield or mouth guard is a specially made device which fits over your teeth and gums protecting them from damage. It is important to wear a professionally made mouth guard whenever you participate in sports that involve physical contact like GAA, hockey, rugby and boxing to prevent injury to the mouth, teeth and jaws.

At Northside Dental we regularly provide our patients with custom-made mouth guards, that are moulded exactly to the shape of their teeth. We have found over time that these are the most effective way to protect the teeth during contact sports, and prevent many of the issues that occur with ‘boil and bite’ gum shields like an uncomfortable fit, or choking. Generally speaking our custom-fitted mouth guards are made to last a reasonable period of time, but this very much depends on the age of the patient, and if their teeth are still growing and developing.

What to do if a tooth gets knocked out of your mouth:
– Try to put the tooth back into the socket yourself
– Put it into a cup of milk or keep it in your mouth
– Don’t hold the tooth by the root or try and clean it
– Get to the dentist as soon as possible