Steph Curry And His Mouth Guard: A Love Hate Relationship

Steph Curry just can’t seem to keep his mouth guard where it belongs. Photo credit:http://www.bet.com/news/sports/2016/06/03/-watch–got-him–steph-curry-reads–mean-tweet–about-his-pubert.html

The Golden State Warriors are up two games to zero in the NBA finals.

Exciting right?

It’s great news for Warriors fans. But we’re distracted by Steph Curry’s mouth guard situation.

What’s this about a mouth guard situation?

Steph can’t keep his mouth guard to himself.

The two-time MVP and defending champion is known for his ball-handling skills, amazing three-point shoots and tendency to chew his mouth guard—particularly during stressful moments of the game. When shooting free throws, he gnaws at it. And if he’s celebrating a particularly pretty field goal shot, we’ll see it pop out the front or the side of his mouth.

Is Steph Curry teaching amateur basketball players bad habits?

Yes. And, no.

Mouth guards are designed to protect the lips, tongue and soft tissues of the mouth while reducing the risk of chipped or broken teeth, nerve damage to a tooth, or tooth loss. It’s difficult for a mouth guard to do its job when not properly worn.

On the other hand, athletes who fail to wear a mouth guard are 60 times more likely to suffer injury than those who wear one. If nothing else, Steph’s nibbling habit reminds kids that even the pros guard their smiles.

Do you have a young baller or weekend athlete at home?

Keep ’em safe with a mouth guard.

Stock mouth guard

Inexpensive, preformed mouth guards are available at sporting goods, department and big-box stores as well as pharmacies. Often the mouth guards fit incorrectly—making breathing and talking difficult.

Better than nothing, these offer very little protection, especially if you participate in contact sports like football, boxing or ice hockey.

Boil and bite mouth guard

Boil and bite mouth guards are made of thermoplastic—that means moldable in English—material. Soften the mouth guard by submerging in boiling water. Remove and put the guard in your mouth. Use your fingers and tongue to shape guard around your teeth.

These fit slightly better than a stock mouth guard, but can still feel uncomfortable. These are also available at most sporting goods stores or online.

Custom mouth guard

Talk to us about a mouth guard that provides the ultimate protection and is comfortable. A custom mouth guard is completely unique to your teeth—in fact, we use an impression of your teeth to mold the guard material perfectly.

Custom mouth guards may be more expensive, but a lifetime of smiles is worth it.

Children—and adults—who play sports regardless of the level of contact should always wear a mouth guard.

Let your guard down

It’s all fun and games until someone gets a tooth knocked out. What happens if you forget your mouth guard and knock out a tooth? Here’s how to handle it.