Mouthguards

[Lisa]

Mouthguards protect you from oral/facial injuries. There are plenty of styles out there to choose from. You can buy them over the counter or have them custom fit by your dentist. We recently had one made for my daugher to fit over her braces. She got a vacuum custom made mouthguard and hopefully it wil be more comforable from the over the counter boil and bite type that we have been using.

My question is two parts.

Do you use a mouth guard when sparring, why or why not? and if you do what type do you use? I know there is a laminate type that your dentist can make, are they any good. Her orthodontist suggested not getting one of these made until after all her teeth had shifted but I am inquiring for the future.

Thanks,
Lisa

 

[Aqua4ever]

I use a mouthguard for sparring. ALWAYS. I had braces and value my teeth, I know they don't help 100% but they do give some safety. Also, it reduces the cut lip chance, which is great since I hate blood in the mouth. I also find a mouthguard gives me something to "play" with when I start getting nervous before a fight, you can bite down, and run your tongue along it, distracting your nervous brain and allowing the rest of your brain to focus on the task. See, mouthguards are multi-purpose things
As for the type. I just use a boil one. I had one custom made from my dentist, but I didn't like it...but I do know people at my club that prefer them.
Aqua
p.s. The only disadvantage is if you get winded...then they restrict your breathing, but someone always shouts mouthguard out pretty fast...

 

[Sarah]

Over here you can buy ones to make yourself (sort of like the ones the dentists make)

They have outer rubber same as the boil up type, but then you make up a special gel place in the guard, bite down till it hardens. These are MUCH better then the boil up types as they fit the teeth better, and they only cost about $30.

 

[tshadowchaser]

hardly ever wear one NO teeth

I make my students wear them
They also help a little to protect from concussion

 

[Sam]

the boil and bite kind work fine for braces.
(I would know.) Never had a problem.

they're cheap too

 

[Gemini]

I wear the boil type. When I made it, I paid particular attention to it fitting my top teeth, so I can open my mouth to breathe without it falling.

I got the extra special super duper custom made piece for my son with braces. He wore it one time and went back to the boiled type. Said he just wouldn't get hit in the mouth. :shrug:

 

[Grenadier]

I always use one during regular speed sparring. This has two purposes:

1) Protect the teeth and upper lip. First, and foremost, this helps prevent tooth loss. Also, while your lip may still get a bit shredded when you take a shot to the mouth, it won't be nearly as bad as if the flesh were grinding against hard teeth.

2) The guard that I use has a breathing hole in the middle, and protects both the lower and upper gums / teeth. It also provides a bit more margin of safety just in case of taking a nasty shot to the jaw, since your jaw is less likely to be dislocated than if you were just using an upper gum shield.

 

[terryl965]

Lisa I have found that the Shock Doctor mouth pieces work best for me. They have a gaurentee with them if while wearing them your teeth get cracked or damage they will help pay for the repairs what a great deal.
Terry

 

[Lisa]

Lisa I have found that the Shock Doctor mouth pieces work best for me. They have a gaurentee with them if while wearing them your teeth get cracked or damage they will help pay for the repairs what a great deal.
Terry

Really? Wow. I will have to check that out. Wonder if it is the same for Canada.

 

[Lisa]

hardly ever wear one NO teeth

Umm.. is this from many years doing MA and NOT wearing one Tshadowchaser? Maybe you could be the mouthguard posterchild

"THIS CAN HAPPEN TO YOU TOO! WEAR YOUR MOUTHGUARDS"

 

[Eternal Beginner]

My daughter also wears the boil and bite type. Her orthodontist didn't feel getting an expensive custom one was worth it as her teeth will constantly be changing over the next while (kind of the point of braces after all). I can't imagine getting new custom mouthguards every couple of months.

 

[Lisa]

My daughter also wears the boil and bite type. Her orthodontist didn't feel getting an expensive custom one was worth it as her teeth will constantly be changing over the next while (kind of the point of braces after all). I can't imagine getting new custom mouthguards every couple of months.

I agree. The vacuum custom made one was made to fit the size of her mouth, not the shape. He will reshape it as her teeth move, all she has to do is bring it back in with her. No charge.

 

[terryl965]

Really? Wow. I will have to check that out. Wonder if it is the same for Canada.

Yes Lisa they cover canada as well.
terry

 

[Andrew Green]

When I had braces my orthodontist made me a custom one, free.

He wouldn't let me wear a cheap one with them, said he'd rather make me one at no charge then clean up afterwards if I took a good shot in a free one

 

[Andrew Green]

No one seems to have mentioned this:

Mouthguards don't just protect your teeth, they help lock your jaw in place. When hit it shocks the spine and causes a KO. So a good mouthguard will not only protect your teeth, it will protect your brain as well.

No one should be wearing the cheap $2.50 ones if they are doing contact work, pay the extra few bucks for at least a shock doc, if you're going really hard spring for a Wipps Brain pad.

 

[Laborn]

You answered your own question, i use a mouthpeice so i dont get my teeth knocked out lol. i just buy one at waltmart, and i boil it to fit my teeth, i dont buy anything special....dont need to...only need something that covers your teeth lol.

 

[Laborn]

No one seems to have mentioned this:

Mouthguards don't just protect your teeth, they help lock your jaw in place. When hit it shocks the spine and causes a KO. So a good mouthguard will not only protect your teeth, it will protect your brain as well.

No one should be wearing the cheap $2.50 ones if they are doing contact work, pay the extra few bucks for at least a shock doc, if you're going really hard spring for a Wipps Brain pad.

LMAO i've been using the $2.50 kind for 2 years now LOL i never knew about that. I've never been knocked out tho, been hit plenty of times, gues im lucky.

 

[still learning]

Hello, Protection? Best to use it.........never know when you might get hit there! Prevention is always better than CURES.....Aloha

 

[Andrew Green]

LMAO i've been using the $2.50 kind for 2 years now LOL i never knew about that. I've never been knocked out tho, been hit plenty of times, gues im lucky.

Just depends on what you're doing. I'd imagine if you went to a boxing/kickboxing club they'd tell you to get a better one

 

[Miles]

I recommend (and use) a mouthguard when sparring.

The dojang carries the "boil and bite" variety but Terry, I may personally take your recommendation about the Shock Doctor. I am getting too old to not opt for the better protection.

Along the same lines, how do folks deal with those students who have a gag reflex to using a mouthguard?

Miles