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Sports Mouth Guard vs Nightguard: What are the differences?

Sports Mouth Guard vs Nightguard

Mouthguards are a great way to help protect your teeth and keep them healthy. Sports mouth guards are different from night guards because they offer more protection during contact sports like basketball, football, hockey, etc. Nightguards have a lot of the same benefits as sports mouth guards but they’re not designed to withstand the physical impact that is part of contact sports.

Sports mouthguards also come in many different shapes and sizes so you can find one that fits well with your teeth!

A mouthguard is a protective device worn in the mouth that prevents injuries. Sports mouthguards are specifically designed to withstand the physical impacts that come with contact sports.

A night guard is a protective device worn at night on your teeth while you sleep and prevents injuries from occurring.

What is a Sports Mouth Guard?

A Sports mouthguard is usually made of soft, pliable material like rubber or silicone. The sports guard protects the teeth from impact during contact sports such as basketball, football, hockey, etc.

What is a Nightguard?

Nightguards are designed to protect the upper teeth from grinding during sleep, they have no protection against contact sports or injury caused by impact. Sports Mouth Guards are made of soft, pliable material like medical silicone.

Sports Mouth Guard vs Nightguard: What kind of Mouthguard do I need?

Sports Mouth Guard vs Nightguard

You should wear a Sports Mouth Guard if you engage in contact sports like basketball, football, hockey, etc. You should not use a nightguard for any sports.

When it comes to sports mouthguards you are free to choose one depending on the sport you are playing. Not all mouthguards offer the same level of protection and the best mouthguards for Sports are ones that fit well with your teeth.

Mouthguards can help prevent injuries to the mouth and jaw by cushioning against heavy impact hits.

Nightguards are designed to help prevent injuries to the upper teeth from grinding during sleep, they have no protection against contact sports or injury caused by impact. Your doctor or dentist will usually recommend one depending on your health problems.

Why should you wear one? 

Sports Mouth Guards help protect your teeth and mouth from injury during contact sports. Sportives should always wear a Sports Mouth Guard when playing basketball, football, hockey, etc.

Injuries can always happen when you are playing Sports, but Mouth Guards can help prevent them.

If your teeth and mouth still sustain an injury even with a Sports Mouth Guard on, please go see the dentist as soon as possible.

Both Sports Mouthguards and nightguards are protective devices worn in the mouth.

Nightguards are not designed to withstand the physical impact of contact sports like Sports Mouth Guards so it’s important that you only use one if they recommend or prescribe them for an oral health issue.

Read: Why should you wear a mouthguard when playing sport?

When should you wear one?

Sports Mouth Guards should be worn for contact sports like basketball, football, hockey, and so on.

Nightguards are worn at night just like the title suggests.

Many people wonder if you can use a sports mouthguard as a nightguard. The answer to that question is no. You should never do that. You can read why in this article.

Tips on how to care for your mouthguard

Here are some helpful tips on how to care for your Sports Mouthguard.

  • Rinse the Sports Mouthguard in cold water after use.
  • Store in a cool, dark place to avoid premature drying and cracking.
  • Having a case is a good idea to avoid getting it dirty in the first place.
  • Cleaning your Sports Mouthguard with soap and water won’t work as well as a specialized Sports mouthguard cleaner so we recommend using one of those instead.
  • Rinse Sports Mouthguards after use before storing them away or they will dry out!
  • Do not reuse Sports Mouthguards with heavy damage or wear them more than once without cleaning because bacteria can grow inside of them which causes bad breath and gum disease.
  • Replace your mouthguard every six months

Cleaning your mouthguard is not hard but is necessary.

Where to buy a mouthguard?

There are a couple of places you can buy Sports Mouthguards for cheap or expensive.

A sports store like Dick’s Sporting Goods sells Sports Mouthguards at a cheaper price.

The most convenient place to buy is Amazon. You can find Sports Mouthguards, Sports mouthguard cleaners, and other Sports gear like shoes. It is easy to shop and you can see what other people think about those products.

You can read more about Sports Mouth Guard vs Nightguard on our blog.

Final thoughts on Sports Mouth Guard vs Nightguard

If you’re looking to get the most protection for your teeth imaginable, it’s a great idea to invest in a mouthguard.

Sports mouthguards offer more protection than night guards because they are designed for contact sports like basketball, football, and hockey that require physical protection.

Nightguards are different and offer protection for teeth grinding and similar issues. They are not designed to resist the physical impact of contact sports so Sports Mouthguards offer more protection.

If you enjoy playing basketball or other contact sports it’s important that you buy a Sports mouthguard because they provide increased safety for your teeth and jaw where night guards don’t protect against anything besides grinding.