A Guide To Mouthguard Materials

A Guide To Mouthguard Materials

Have you ever questioned the safety of the mouthguard material thats in your mouthguard or the mouthguard your about to purchase? Probably not, but maybe you should. In the past, mouthguards have been made from materials including vinyl resins, natural rubber, acrylic resins and polyurethane.

The public awareness about the dangers of bisphenol A (BPA), which is an industrial chemical that has been used to make certain plastics and resins since the 1960's has increased dramatically in the most recent years.. It is used in containers that to store food and in water bottles. Some research has shown that BPA can seep into food or beverages. Exposure to high levels of BPA has many health side effects on the brain and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children. Other research has shown BPA to affect a child behavior and increase blood pressure. The chemical was banned from all children products in 2012 due to concerns about the health effects such as baby bottles, sip cups and toys.

The United States government set up a research program designed to asses the potential health effects of long-term exposure to BPA. It was the largest study ever conducted on BPA undertaken by scientist in the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)The study was called the CLARITY Core Study. The study concluded that BPA is unlikely to cause health effects at very low levels to which people were exposed.

Most mouthguards whether it be boil-and-bite or custom-made are not made with BPA. Even though a manufacturer may claim too have BPA-free mouthguards they may fail to mention what other chemicals they may have substituted in its place. A wide variety of materials are used in the composition of a mouthguard. If you try to look up what mouthguards are made of, you will find it very difficult. If a mouthguard contains BPA, you should replace it with a BPA-free mouthguard or replace the mouthguard more frequently since BPA is released more readily from material that has undergone wear. I think you should should purchase a mouthguard that is BPA-free because it is more likely to leach from plastics when heated(during the boil-and-bit fitting procedure).

Historically, mouthguards since the 1960's have been made of ethylene vinylaccetate (EVA). EVA is generally considered as non-toxic and biocompatible. Because EVA has a "rubber-like" feel in softness and flexibility, it makes a suitable choice for a mouthguard. If you are deciding on what mouthguard to buy or have questions regarding what your mouthguard is made of, call the manufacturer and ask for a MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet). The sheet will provide a detailed list of what the mouthguard is composed of. If they won't give up that information, don't buy the mouthguard. Most recently, materials such as Vistamaxx(which is a polyolefin copolymer) and a non-compressible thermopolymer(SISU) have been introduced as a boil-and-bit alternative to EVA. Both newer materials have better shock absorbency over EVA. The newer materials can be thinner, which will aid in comfort and reduce the chances of gagging, and still provide the same amount or better protection when compared to thicker EVA mouthguards because of the materials density.

Custom-made mouthguards that are supplied by your dentist are made by dental laboratories. Most dental laboratories are private, independent businesses. Custom-made mouthguards are made of acrylic and don't contain BPA. But each dental laboratory is different and may use products from different manufacturers.

All dental materials and devices (night guards, custom mouthguards and boil-and-bite mouthguards) must be cleared by the Food And Drug Administration (FDA) for their intended use in the body. Mouthguards aren't reviewed individually, but are required to use FDA-approaved materials.

Here are some mouthguard materials on the market today:

*VISTAMAXX- Vistamaxx is a thermoplastic polyolefin elastomer, which creates 40 to 100 percent more shock obsorbency than ethylene vinyl acetate(EVA). Game On mouthguards (the only FDA approved boil-and-bite mouthguard) owns the patent on Vistamaxx for athletic mouthguards.

*ETHYLENE VINYL ACETATE (EVA)- EVA is the copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate. It is a "rubber like" material that is soft and flexible. Mouthguards over the last 30 years have been made from this material.

*POLY VINYL- Also known as EVA

*POLYSHOCK- PolyShock is a proprietary blend of plastics. It's unique properties make it able to form to the mouth at low temperatures. The material is used mainly in custom mouthguards but a few companies use it for boil-and-bite mouthguards. PolyShock has been tested by American Standards in Testing and measurements (ASTM) to be over 150% more shock absorbent than EVA.

*KRATON- This material is used in combination with other materials and blended together to make a mouthguard more flexible and tough. It is soft to the touch, elastic and transparent.

*NON-COMPRESSIBLE THERMOPOLYMER - All of SISU mouthguards are made from this medical grade, proprietary material. The distributes the force of a blow throughout the surface of the mouthguard rather than allowing it to travel through your teeth. Every SISU mouthguard is at least 30% thinner when compared to most boil-and-bite mouthguards.

*MEDICAL GRADE SILICONE- This material is completely non-toxic and safe. It is used mainly in mouthguards for people with braces.

*POLYVINYL SILOXANE (PVS) - This material is widely used in the dental field to take an impression of a persons teeth. Polyvinyl siloxane impression materials have been available since the mid-1970s and have continued to evolve and improve. The only mouthguard company that uses this material is ZONE Mouthguards.

*POLYPROPOLENE- Polypropylene (PP) is a thermoplastic “addition polymer” made from the combination of propylene monomers. It is used in a variety of applications to include packaging for consumer products, plastic parts for various industries including the automotive industry, special devices like living hinges, and textiles.

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THE MATERIALS AND INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE HAVE BEEN PREPARED OR ASSEMBLED BY THE MOUTHGUARD REVIEW AND ARE INTENDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR ADVICE FROM A LICENSED HEALTH-CAR PROFESSIONAL. YOU SHOULD NOT RELY SOLELY ON THIS CONTENT, AND THE MOUTHGUARD REVIEW ASSUMES NO LIABILITY FOR INACCURACIES. ALWAYS READ LABELS AND DIRECTIONS BEFORE USING A PRODUCT. SOME OF THE INFORMATION MAY BE DATED AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE MOST CURRENT EVENTS. I WROTE THIS ARTICLE MYSELF AND IT EXPRESSES MY OWN OPINIONS.