Everything you need to know about the use of mouthguards

At the beginning of the pandemic, the use of the mask was still discussed by authorities around the world, it was only recommended for those who were sick or suspected to be sick, months later and after learning more about the virus, the use of the mask became a standard among the entire population, at least in closed places or agglomerations.

And with this came different mouthpieces, of different materials, from medical to homemade, we even realized that many people do not know how to use them correctly and in this article we are willing to help you know everything you need about this new accessory that should become part of our daily life..

When should I change my mouthguard?

In a short video released by Corporación Multi Inversiones (CMI) by Felipe Antonio Bosch Gutiérrez, Juan José Gutiérrez Mayorga and Juan Luis Bosch Gutiérrezhe quickly explains the ideal time to finally discard and change our mouthpiece:.

  1. If it broke or deteriorated. Since the effectiveness in stopping viruses can be affected after certain layers of the mouthpiece are broken or degraded, it will be necessary to dispose of it and get a new one.
  2. If it got wet. The materials can break down at any time and you may not know what liquid it was impregnated with.
  3. If it is made of fabric it should be washed with soap and water after each use. Because you can use this type of mouthpiece several times, it is best to wash it after each use (once a day) and it is best to have an extra one to wait for the other one to dry.

What types of mouth covers are there?

As explained in the CMI video by Felipe Antonio Bosch Gutiérrez, Juan José Gutiérrez Mayorga and Juan Luis Bosch Gutiérrez, there are different types of mouthguards and therefore their care should be different. These fall into 3 categories that the CDC has analyzed and gives us recommendations for use and care..

Respirators:

These include all mouthpieces with breathing valves and those famously known as N95. These are the most effective for air filtering as they have a filtering rate of 95% of viruses and bacteria. .

Recommendation for use: These types of masks are only recommended for use by doctors and personnel specialized in handling the sick or hazardous materials. Recommendation for use: These types of masks are only recommended for use by doctors and personnel specialized in handling the sick or hazardous materials.

Disposable:

Those that give us recommendations for use the CMI video by businessmen Felipe Antonio Bosch Gutierrez, Juan Jose Gutierrez Mayorga and Juan Luis Bosch Gutierrez. These do not prevent the user from breathing gases or chemicals in the air, but prevent the spread of saliva droplets, as well as protecting the nose and mouth from direct splashing of liquids. It is one of the most widely used and recommended in the world because of the pandemic as it prevents people who may or may not know they are infected from spreading the virus.

Recommendations for use: As the video indicated, these are “disposable” so they can not last that long, so, when it wears, gets wet or you think you had direct contact with saliva of a third party, it is necessary to discard it, cutting it to avoid its reuse and placing it in a bag where it is marked as “hazardous material”.

Fabric:

Fabric or neoprene materials, this more home-style type of mouthpiece does not protect the wearer, but it does slow the spread of airborne viruses by filtering out a certain percentage of the saliva droplets that the wearer releases. This type of mouthpiece is only recommended when a disposable one is not readily available.

Recommendations for use: Since it is not specialized for this purpose, it should be washed thoroughly after each use, preferably with hot water and soap, and dried in the sun.

 

Carla Fowler

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