Mouthguard Fitting Instructions
Wearing a mouthguard is essential to the protection of your teeth and jaws. While you can request that a dentist fit you for one of these protective devices, you can also buy a guard from a sporting goods store and fit it to your mouth on your own.
Instructions
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1
FIll a small pot with 3 to 4 inches of tap water. Place the pot on a stove top burner on a high heat setting. Bring the water to a rolling boil. A rolling boil consists of countless bubbles breaking on the surface of the water.
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2
Pick up the mouthguard with a pair of tongs and place it into the boiling water. Leave the guard in the water for approximately 20 to 30 seconds.
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3
Turn off the stove burner, and grab the mouthguard with the tongs and remove it from the pot of boiling water. Dip the mouthguard into the bowl of cold water for one to three seconds without releasing it from the tongs.
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4
Align the mouthguard with your upper teeth. Gently close your mouth to allow the guard to come into contact with your teeth. Push the back of the mouthguard up around your back upper teeth with your tongue. Press upward on the guard with your thumbs if needed to get the guard to mold to your upper teeth.
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5
Close your mouth and bite gently on the guard. Suck on the guard to remove air and water. Open your mouth to see if the guard will stay in place. If not, press upward on the back of the guard with your tongue, then bite down gently.
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6
Remove the guard and place in the container of cold water for five minutes. You may then wear it or allow it to air dry before storing.
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Tips & Warnings
Some mouthguards can be re-formed whenever necessary.
Replace your mouthguard if it becomes damaged. A damaged mouth guard will not provide the level of protection that you need.
References
- Photo Credit Shadow boxing image by Andrei vishnyakov from Fotolia.com
