Do You Need Mouthguards For Soccer? [Detailed Explanation]

The mouth is indeed vulnerable to impact, raising the question of whether mouthguards are needed to protect the teeth while playing soccer.

Despite being a game played with the foot, soccer is a high-impact activity that often necessitates players to wear full mouthguards. As with most sports, players are prone to a different levels of injury.

Regardless of the position, every player on the pitch is equipped with some sort of protective gear.

Mouthguards are not on FIFA’s list of essential requirements, even if some protective gear is. However, a significant percentage of soccer players wouldn’t dare enter a pitch without one.

In this article, we go into considerable detail to address these questions by evaluating whether mouthguards are necessary or not.

Do You Need Mouthguards For Soccer?

Despite the fact that mouthguards are not considered a must-have personal protective equipment (PPE) in soccer, players can benefit from wearing them.

The use of mouthguards is not prohibited or subjected to any restriction by the Laws of the Game.

If you feel it is necessary, you can wear a mouthguard.

Wearing a mouthguard is mandatory in some US states, as well as in some leagues and competitions around the world. A mouthguard is required in most US school systems for all high school and youth sports.

You are constantly at risk of mouth injuries due to an elbow, a hand, or even the ball coming to your face. For this reason, getting a mouthguard is an extremely wise investment.

Mouthguards can somewhat be uncomfortable to wear, and a large percentage of soccer players do not use them. Some players report unpleasant physical side effects from wearing a mouthguard, while some find them to just be uncomfortable.

Most often, breathing and cognitive issues are caused by these unfavorable effects. However, research has shown that using a suitable mouthguard has no impact on any of these mentioned side effects.

It’s entirely up to you whether or not you feel obliged to use them! However, I wholeheartedly recommend using one.

How Do Mouthguards Protect Soccer Players?

Think of a mouthguard as a shield for your mouth, it protects against impact. The entire mouth, not just your teeth, is protected by this small protective gear.

Your lips, teeth, and gums are safeguarded from any serious injury while you wear them. However, not all of them offer the same level of protection.

For starters, you’d be preventing tooth loss. Either a soccer ball whizzing by your face or an unintentional elbow to the face could result in severe injury.

If one of your teeth is knocked out, a smashed lip is probably the least of your concerns.

There may be more serious cuts, like injury to the jaw or gums. Both of these areas of your mouth will be protected from impact if you bite down on a mouthguard.

• Helps reduce the chance of concussion.
• Protect soft tissues from injury.
• Protects jaw joints against injury.
• Cushions teeth from serious impact.
• They serve as a cushion during impact, preventing bruising and laceration.
• They prevent tooth breaks and displacement.
• Shock-absorbing guards reduce the risk of neurological injury.
• It gives the player more confidence, knowing they are well-protected.

Why Are Mouth Guards Necessary For Soccer Players?

When it comes to mouth injury risks, soccer is certainly not the first sport that comes to mind, but everything from an uncomfortable header to inadvertent contact with another player has the potential to inflict injury.

Every year, more than 5,000,000 teeth are knocked out while playing sports.

A broken jaw, injured tongue, cut lips, and fractured, cracked, or knocked-out teeth are just a few of the mouth injuries that can result from sports-related injuries.

Tragically, a single mouth injury can necessitate a lifetime of mouth treatment in order to preserve the strength and health of the compromised tooth.

A broken tooth will often persist as a problem for the rest of one’s life because fixes are not as effective as being natural.

A recent survey proves that wearing a mouthguard is a smart option because it can actually mitigate dental injuries.

• Mouth Injury Prevention

One of the most exposed places is the teeth, and the rest of the mouth because they are constantly at risk of being struck by a flying elbow from an unwary opponent.

Wearing a suitable mouthguard piece can help prevent or at least lessen mouth injuries such as lacerated lips, knocked and loosened teeth, and other sorts of mouth injuries.

• Psychological Impact/ Enhance Sporting Performance

Your confidence as a player can increase and you’ll be able to perform to your optimal standard when you know you have an extra piece of gear protecting you from any mouth injury.

According to reports, Cristiano Ronaldo and other prominent players wear mouthguards not just to keep their teeth in place, but also to improve their balance, strength, and overall effectiveness on the field.

This, however, has the potential for backfiring by making you overconfident and leading you to take unwarranted risks.

The secret to effectively harnessing the full potential of this aspect of wearing a mouthguard is striking the proper balance, as with everything in life and soccer.

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How To Choose The Best Mouthguard?

Before going to the store to get a guard, it’s best you have a talk with your dentist. As mouth guards come in three types based on their stated function.

• Stock/Instant Fix

The stock or instant fix mouthguard is the most readily accessible mouth gear for a very low price.

You can easily find them in your neighborhood drug store and sports store.  They come in three sizes: small, medium, and large. These are mostly made to protect your top teeth.

The major flaw with this type of mouth guard is that players rarely choose this type because it often gives the opposite of what it was supposed to provide, and because it comes in limited sizes and cannot be modified, it does not always fit all users effectively.

• Custom 

It’s a custom-made piece, designed for a specific user by a licensed dental specialist which explains why it is expensive. Soccer players are advised to use the custom-made types since they are the most efficient of the three.

They are more suited to use even while you sleep since they are more comfortable and better fit because they are tailored to your need.

It is also advised to wear them to prevent issues like snoring, sleep apnea, and teeth grinding.

• Boil & Bite

It needs to be boiled before being inserted between the teeth, as the names imply.  Boiling the material makes it flexible, enabling the guard to adapt to the user’s teeth and gums.

These types are also easy to find and relatively inexpensive.

Things To Consider When Buying Mouthguards

• Material

Mouthguards should be made of safe material, therefore its composition shouldn’t include any latex, phthalates, or BPA. Be sure to read the content before buying because many kids are allergic to these elements.

Choose a durable material that has been given the FDA’s seal of approval so that it can withstand high-impacts

• Airflow

With your mouthguard on, you should be able to breathe in and out as you normally would. During a heated soccer game, you wouldn’t want it to hinder your breathing.

A mouth guard with airflow passages should be a priority.

It can come in the form of vents or channels, ensuring that you never run out of air.

• Internal/External Compact

For hours, the guard will be in your mouth and in contact with your teeth on the interior side. The mouthguard’s sides must be of the correct size and suitably soft to avoid hurting the cheek tissue or the gums.

Look for mouth guards with a gel-based interior, as you can easily bite into the guard to mold it to the shape of your teeth and gums. This will guarantee a flawless and comfortable fit.

It’s crucial to take the guard’s capacity to absorb shocks into account, as high-impact hits will be mitigated by the mouthguard’s outer layer.

Most mouthguards are usually built of plastic or rubber, buying low-quality or cheap guards can cause serious gum injury than protecting from impacts.

Is A Mouthguard Necessary With Braces?

Any player who wears braces knows how expensive and uncomfortable they can be. Therefore, if you have braces, it’s necessary to use a mouthguard during soccer matches or training sessions to safeguard your teeth.

You wouldn’t want to undo whatever progress you made while wearing braces! Or, even worse, extend the length of time you must wear braces as a result of a new injury.

If you have or wear braces, it’s advisable you find a suitable mouthguard designed to be used with braces. If not, neither a comfortable fit nor any protection will be given, and this will discard the guard’s initial intent.

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What Are The Best Mouthguards For Soccer?

• Bulletproof Kevlar

This mouthguard, which is made for contact sports, is available in tens of color options.

The Bulletproof Kevlar mouthguard adapts to your teeth and gums as you wear it, ensuring that it fits comfortably and allows you to breathe, speak, and concentrate on the game without any hindrances.

• Venum Challenger

This mouthguard comes with a case that makes it easy to carry and helps you to store it securely and hygienically. Infallible protection for your teeth is guaranteed by the outer frame’s rigid rubber design, which offers a strong defense against blows with high impact.

This guard’s cutting-edge design ensures optimal breathability throughout a game, preventing you from running out of air.

The interior features a soft gel cushioning that smoothly conforms to the shape of your mouth to provide a well-fitting and comfortable fit.

• Shock Doctor Gel Max

One major benefit of using this type is that the compact tailored fit makes it simple to talk, breathe, and even drink without taking the piece out of your mouth.

Soccer players, as well as others who play rugby, football, and other contact sports, should strongly consider using this mouthguard.

We recommend Shock Doctor Gel Max because of its excellent technology, reliability, and affordability.

READ ALSO | Can I Wear Compression Socks For Soccer?

How To Clean Soccer Mouthguards

In order to prevent bacterial infections in your mouth, you must clean the mouthguard thoroughly.

The same technique you use to clean your teeth is the best approach to clean your mouthguard. Take a toothbrush and some toothpaste, then start cleaning.

• You may either get a special cleaning brush for it or you can use a conventional toothbrush to do it.
• Choose a toothbrush with firm bristles, and some toothpaste, if you want to easily clean all the corners.
• Alternatively, you can clean the guard with any kind of soap. Hand soap, dish soap, dish detergent, or antibacterial soap are all viable choices.
• Apply the soap and lather it up with lukewarm water.
• Use the brush to gently scrub the mouthguard.
• The mouthguard should then be carefully rinsed in warm water to remove all soap.
• Make sure the mouthguard is well-rinsed to remove any soap residue
• Next, you should keep your mouthguard in a clean case with air vents.

Regular cleaning is important for your mouthguard and housing case. Ideally, both the mouthguard and the case should be soaked in antibacterial liquids.

Always remember to clean your mouthguard and case after every use. If it has been unused for some time, wash it before using it just to be safe.

Are Mouthguards Necessary For Kids?

As a child grows, so do their teeth. To avoid any injury to the gum line, it is best that their teeth be protected.

Also, kids who are getting their second set of teeth face a risk of accidentally losing those teeth.

And they will have to choose between having no teeth or having to keep getting new dentures as they grow.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that children’s motor skills differ from adults. They should have the necessary protective gear because they are more likely to sustain accidents and injuries.

How Many Teeth Does The Mouth Guard Protect?

In order to prevent excessive touch with your soft palate, which could potentially set off your gag reflex and cause you to choke, a mouthguard would end precisely where your last two molars meet.

Do Mouth Guards Come In Upper & Lower Models?

For sports, mouthguards typically protect the upper teeth. These teeth are more exposed than the lower teeth, which increases the chances of an impact.

A lower mouthguard may also be recommended by your dentist if you are wearing braces.

Where Can I Buy Mouth Guards?

Only dentists can provide mouthguards that are specifically sized for each patient. Boil-and-bite or instant-fix mouthguards are available on Amazon. or any sporting outlets

Do Mouth Guards Have Insurance Coverage?

Custom-fitted mouthguards could be partially or completely covered by some dental health insurance programs.

To know this, you’ll need to consult your provider as health insurance policies vary. You can also check to see whether your dentist offers a payment scheme.

Custom-fitted and over-the-counter mouthguards can be bought with funds from a health savings account.

Final Thoughts – Do You Need Mouthguards For Soccer

Mouth/teeth injuries can lead to serious fatal implications. Mouthguards protect the teeth, tongue, and gums from serious impacts and smash during a game. They not only do that, but they also protect against injuries to the jaw.