It would be silly to suggest that American football is the only sport in which players wear a mouthguard. Anyone who has ever watched a rugby game, for example, will have grown used to seeing the sight of a player putting their mouthguard in place before throwing themselves into a tackle, whilst even some association football players, such as Wataru Endō, played wearing one.
They offer good protection for a player’s mouth and teeth, which is why so many people will insist on wearing one when they are partaking in a sport that is extremely demanding on them physically.
What Is a Mouthguard?
As the name suggests, a mouthguard is a piece of equipment that is inserted into the mouth in order to cover the teeth and gums. It is placed there in order to offer some protection to the majority of things in the mouth during sports with a high amount of physical contact. Their usage is there in order to attempt to reduce the risk of injury to the teeth and gums, but also to the likes of the lips and the arches. When used effectively, it is essentially akin to a crash helmet for the teeth and jaw. The use of one also stops the jaw from coming together, reducing the risk of other injuries.
Although we’re obviously focussed on the mouthguard’s use in the world of American football, you might be familiar with them for other reasons. They can be used when someone is looking to bleach their teeth, for example, as well as in the treatment of issues such as bruxism and temporomandibular joint dysfunction. They have even been used to treat sleep apnea in some people, with the specific use of them dictating what they’re referred to as. You might have heard them called a gum shield or a night guard, as well as a bite splint or even a bite plane.
Different Types Are Available
Perhaps somewhat unsurprisingly, there are different types of mouthguard that you can buy if you’re looking to wear one for an American football game but don’t have the type of money afforded to National Football League players. One of the cheapest types that you can get involved in is simply boiling a thermoplastic material that has a U-shape to it, fitting it into the mouth and biting down onto the material in order to get it shaped like your own teeth. This is the type of mouthguard that many amateur and even semi-professional sportspeople will look to purchase as it is cost-effective.
Of course, actual NFL players tend to be paid huge sums of money for their role in a team and will be looking to ensure that they have the best protection possible. As a result, they’re unlikely to opt for a stock option or one that is aimed at more budget-conscious people, instead choosing to get one custom-made. This involves an impression of their teeth being taken, using something such as dental putty or dental alginate material. From there, the mouthguard will be created using a method like vacuum forming, pressure lamination or even impressionless options.
Why They Matter
If you have never played American football or your experience of the sport is limited to watching it, you would be forgiven for wondering what kind of a difference they might make to a player’s game. Obviously, there is very little that they will do in terms of improving play, but they can offer peace of mind to someone who knows that they’re going to be throwing themselves into tackles on a regular basis during their play. That is why different positions will wear different types of mouthguard, with the likes of kickers and punters choosing ones with minimal thickness.
If a player knows that their role is one of being extremely physical, meanwhile, then you will often find that they will opt for a mouthguard with much more thickness. The difference between a three-millimetre mouthguard and a six-millimetre mouthguard might not sound like much, but if you’re smashing into tackles then you want to do what you can to not only protect your teeth but also make it less likely that you will suffer a concussion because your teeth have smashed together. They can even choose to have patterns or colours on them to try to intimidate the opposition.