The function of a mouthguard, also called a dental protector, is sometimes underestimated. You probably know that a mouthguard protects your teeth, but did you also know that a mouthguard helps prevent brain injury?
View in webshop:
Why should you wear a mouthguard in martial arts?
Wearing a mouthguard (dental protector) is important for protection against forces that teeth and jaws are exposed to, such as punches and kicks in martial arts.
It not only protects your teeth, but also the inside of your cheeks and your gums. A dental protector distributes external forces and thus reduces the impact on the head, which lowers the risk of concussion or other brain injuries. It is important that your mouthguard fits well. You do this by molding it to your teeth before use.
- A mouthguard protects your teeth from strong external forces. In martial arts, this mainly concerns punches and kicks.
- Additionally, wearing a mouthguard is also important for protecting the inside of your cheeks and your gums.
- A mouthguard is usually worn only on the upper jaw. Because your upper teeth naturally overlap your lower teeth, your lower teeth are also protected.
- Since a mouthguard is made of flexible material, it absorbs some of the external forces. This also protects you against jaw fractures.
- This weakens the forces and reduces the impact on your head. This also lowers the chance of a concussion or other brain injury.
However, the medical world has (so far) never made a definitive statement about this, but in recent years, sports with significant head impact have been increasingly scrutinized.
Think not only of martial arts, but also of football (heading) and rugby/American football (body checks).
What is a good mouthguard?
There are many different mouthguards available. Since the material easily lends itself to color, dental protectors are also available in almost every imaginable color.
However, with a mouthguard, it is especially important that it fits 'comfortably' and molds well to your teeth.
Most dental protectors are therefore sensitive to boiling heat. This softens the mouthguard so you can bite into it, allowing it to adapt to your teeth.
Most mouthguards are available in 2 sizes: junior and adult. Nowadays, you also see more mouthguards specifically designed for braces appearing on the market.
Best brand mouthguards and dental protection
It is difficult to name one brand of mouthguard as the best. This logically also depends on the type of sport you practice.
Although dental protectors always have the same function, manufacturers often focus on a specific sport.
Besides martial arts, hockey is also a sport where wearing a mouthguard is very important. If we had to make a recommendation, we would choose: Shock Doctor and SafeJawz.
View in webshop:
Mouthguards for sale at Fight2Win
Since we recognize the great importance of mouthguards, we also have a wide collection of mouthguards in our webshop in stock. View the collection of dental protectors for an overview of all available mouthguards we recommend at Fight2Win.nl.
We have also compiled an extensive test and buying guide: our top 5 mouthguards for martial arts.
Conclusions, a good mouthguard:
- Protects your teeth and dental structure
- Protects your gums and the inside of your cheeks
- Helps prevent brain injury and concussions
- Protects against jaw fractures
