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Everything We Recommend
Best Overall (Editor's Pick) — Shock Doctor Pro Mouth Guard
Best for Contact Sports — Sporting Smiles Custom Clear Sports Mouth Guard
Best for Combat Sports — Impact Mouthguard
Best for Kids — AITUSI Kids Youth Mouth Guard for Sports
Best for Braces — Shock Doctor Double Braces Mouthguard
Best for Bruxism — Oral-B Nighttime Dental Guard
A mouthguard protects the teeth and gums from potential trauma during sports.
Mouthguards stabilize the jaw while separating the top and bottom rows of teeth from each other. They also absorb or redistribute shock from violent contact that could otherwise result in a bigger injury.
Mouthguards also protect your mouth from the effects of bruxism. Bruxism is when you habitually grind or clench your teeth. This can lead to problems like tooth damage, tooth loss, and TMJ disorder.
A mouthguard protects your teeth and surrounding soft tissues by forming a thick layer over them. People who engage in contact or limited-contact sports have a high risk of sustaining tooth injuries. A mouthguard significantly reduces this risk.
People who don’t use mouthguards in recreational or competitive sports are almost twice as likely to sustain an orofacial injury.
Dentists recommend mouthguards during contact and limited-contact sports. Examples of contact sports include:
Examples of limited-contact sports include:
If you have bruxism, wearing mouthguards offers teeth protection at night. Bruxism refers to difficulty controlling your jaw clenching or teeth grinding. Continuous teeth grinding and clenching can cause several dental problems, including tooth sensitivity and pain.
When you wear a mouthguard, you help prevent damage to your teeth. The mouthguard protects where your teeth touch. So when you grind your teeth, the mouthguard takes the brunt of the grinding instead of your teeth rubbing together.
There are three types of mouthguards for sports. Each varies in cost, comfort, and efficacy. They are:
Custom-made mouthguards are made in a dental office or lab. This is usually the best but most expensive option.
To make the mouthguard, a dentist takes impressions of your teeth. This allows the mouthguard to fit perfectly in your mouth.
A boil-and-bite mouthguard is self-adapting. You make it yourself by placing it in hot water to become more pliable. Let it cool before placing it in your mouth.
The mouthguard will adapt to your teeth from your bite pressure and the manipulation of your tongue, fingers, and lips.
A stock mouthguard is the most easily obtainable mouthguard. Most sporting goods stores sell stock sports mouthguards. However, they usually carry a limited range of sizes.
Stock mouthguards are less comfortable because of their generic design. Additionally, these mouthguards are the least effective because of the potential incompatibility with your teeth and gums.
The best mouthguard should fit your mouth and other oral structures perfectly. The material should also be U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved.
A good mouthguard should also:
These are some of the best mouthguards for sports:
The Shock Doctor Pro Mouth Guard is one of the best mouthguard options for sports. Each pack contains 12 pieces of boil-and-bite mouthguards.
Pros:
Cons:
A custom-made mouthguard is always a good option. However, getting one made at the dentist can be expensive. Sporting Smiles mouthguards offer a fair price for this type of mouthguard.
Their product is 3 mm thick, which is perfect for comfort. However, it’s not the best option for hard-impact sports like boxing or football.
Pros:
Cons:
The best thing about the Impact mouthguard is that it’s specifically designed for combat sports. The product is 6 to 7 mm thick and is made from dental-grade materials.
Pros:
Cons:
AITUSI’s mouthguard is specifically designed for kids. It comes in two sizes to accommodate children under 10. It also works for kids 10 to 15 years old.
Pros:
Cons:
If you wear braces, Shock Doctor’s Double Braces Mouthguard is specifically designed for you. It also meets all the national and state high school wrestling rules for bracket coverage.
You don’t need to boil the mouthguard to fit it into your mouth. The medical-grade silicone is designed to fit the shape of your teeth and gums.
Pros:
Cons:
Oral B’s Nighttime Dental Guard is our pick for people suffering from bruxism. It’s an affordable, over-the-counter (OTC) option that prevents damage from teeth grinding at night. You can customize this mouthguard by following a simple microwave process.
Pros:
Cons:
Avoid using hot water when you clean your mouthguard. Don’t chew on it or share it with other people. Keep it away from pets.
Rinse the mouthguard with cold water or alcohol-free mouthwash before and after use. Use dish soap and water with a toothbrush.
Always use a sturdy storage container with holes to promote air circulation. Make sure the mouthguard is completely dry before you close the container.
Bring your mouthguard to dental appointments. Your dentist can check its durability and condition. Replace the mouthguard if it:
At New Mouth, we’re committed to providing unbiased reviews about different dental products. Our team guarantees that our reviews are based on extensive research and analysis.
To rate mouthguards, we did the following:
Mouthguards protect the teeth and surrounding soft tissues from injury during sports. Dentists recommend them for people who participate in contact and limited-contact sports. Wearing a mouthguard is also recommended if you suffer from bruxism.
The best option is a custom mouthguard, but these can be expensive. Stock mouthguards are the least expensive, but they’re also the least effective.
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