Mouthguard Day

There are two types of Hockey Players, those who wear their mouth guard, and those who eat through a straw.

Anonymous

If you’re a sports-minded individual, the odds are good that you at least know what a mouth guard is, or have even worn one yourself. While the primary purpose of mouth guards in the mind of the populace is to protect those involved in active sports from having their teeth smashed out of their mouth, there are other reasons that Mouth Guards are worn as well. On Mouth Guard Day we celebrate these wonderful inventions and the beautiful smiles they’ve served and protected throughout the years.

History of Mouth Guard Day

The origin of the mouth guard may very well be lost to history, but what is known is that boxing is likely the home of this creation. It’s worth noting that doesn’t narrow things down very much, as pugilism has been a popular sport for hundreds or even thousands of years.

Throughout the years everything from resin and tape to wood and leather have been used to help protect these fighters teeth. It was in 1892 that one Woolf Krause, a dentist from Britain, invented a mouth guard made from gutta-percha, a natural resin. The only issue with this mouthguard is that it had to be reapplied every fight and was not reusable.

Krause’s son, Phillip, took his father’s invention a step further and created a reusable version that would become the standard in designs for decades. Mouth guards have been a standard piece of sports equipment ever since those days, and remain one of the most critical parts of any sports-person’s kit.

As the technology advanced, they found more and more uses for this technology, including their serving to help those with a tendency to grind their teeth from damaging their teeth in their sleep.

How to celebrate Mouth Guard Day

Celebrating Mouth Guard Day isn’t difficult, but it can serve as an excellent reminder to get yourself a new mouth guard if you haven’t replaced yours in a while. Are you an active sportsperson who hasn’t been using a mouth guard as a standard part of your hobby?

Do you grind your teeth in your sleep and didn’t know there was something you could do about it? Pick up the phone and call your dentist and see about making an appointment to see if a mouth guard is right for you.