Why You Are Required To Wear A Mouthguard
Let us first address the Mouthguards we see high school players using primarily today. For protection purposes if your mouthguards stays in place and does not dislodge upon impact that is the key to prevention. I also find over the past few years that Boil/Bite Mouthguards are getting better. Protection is the priority!!!!!!
But I do not have "blinders" on when it comes to 99% of the mouthguards used in high school sports.
Most coaches, athletic trainers and fitness personel have an "aversion" to mouthguards for their high school athletes.
They see their players struggling with this "contraption" just to keep it in their mouths, let alone the problems it must create because the mouthguards don't fit, they have to find a way to bite on it to keep it from dislodging upon impact, they cut the "backs" off to have less mouthguard to deal with, they hang them out of their mouths because they can't make it work with it in their mouths, they can't wait to spit them out after play has stopped, they just chew them up til the mouthguard is all distorted and now it fits even worse then when they first put it in their mouth.
They can't hydrate with them in.
They can't talk to their teammates with them in.
They can't breathe properly with them in so It will "hasten their fatigue resistance" come the last 5-10 minutes of play at the end of the game when most games are won or lost.
The athletes perception becomes the reality to them that there is no way this "contraption - mouthguard" improves their athletic performance but you are mandated to wear it to protect your teeth in specific sports. That is why you rarely if ever see a mouthguard in high school basketball, soccer, baseball and softball where it is highly recommended but you have that option not to wear one.
How many high school athetes do you know that can say "This Mouthguard Makes Me Want To Wear It, Which Is A Big Difference Because The Other Ones Didn't".
However, the MIAA requires mouthguards to be worn in Football, Field Hockey Ice Hockey and Lacrosse.
Let's understand why it is mandatory for these sports.
1. The primary reason to wear a mouthguard is to prevent Tooth injuries and Oro-Facial injuries. The reason is that approximately 80-90% of all sports injuries involve the upper four front teeth, your cosmetic zone.
2. A worst case scenario would be tooth avulsion. It could happen in the wink of an eye.
3a. How do we prevent above:
3b. 99% of mouthguards worn today are boil/bite store bought because they are less expensive.
Here are some examples of boil/bite mouthguards
3c. Our custom fit pressure laminated mouthguards have:
a. Retentive fit
b. Protective fit
c. Balanced Occlusion
and
d. You can Breathe, Speak and Hydrate
e. Also we encourage feedback if you have any issues with any comfortablity, sore spots, speech, breathing we can adjust your mouthguard for you. We want "Compliance" but the reality is a mouthguard is bulkier in your mouth than playing just gritting your teeth together.
4.. A question I get asked by every ice hockey parent.
Can Mouthguard Prevent A Concussion?
The Answer to that is NO!
MOUTHGUARDS DO NOT PREVENT CONCUSSION
However with that said:
A mouthguard it should incorporate the latest concussion prevention theory built into it.
THEORIES AS TO WHY MOUTHGUARDS MAY HELP:
1. DISSIPATION OF FORCES IN AN UPWARD BLOW TO THE CHIN
2. INCREASED SEPARATION OF THE HEAD OF THE CONDYLE IN THE GLENOID FOSSA
3. INCREASE STABILIZATION BY ACTIVATING AND STRENGTHENING THE NECK MUSCLES
Academy for Sports Dentistry Position Statement on the use of Mouthguards and other Oral Appliances for the Prevention of Concussion
The Academy for Sports Dentistry supports continued validated scientific research on the issues of concussion injury reduction and performance enhancement by athletes wearing properly fitted and properly worn mouthguards. ASD is aware of new published research suggesting that a properly fitted mouthguard with a thickness of 3.0+ mm in the posterior occlusal area might reduce the incidence of concussion injury when trauma is delivered to the athlete, but is not as yet ready to support or refute the conclusion.
Approved by the Academy for Sports Dentistry Board of Directors July 19, 2015
Well enough said about that.
Back to our subject matter.
Can Mouthguards Impact Athletic Performance?
However with that saiding a mouthguard it should incorporate concussion prevention theory built into it.
