Do AFL Players Really Need Mouthguard? Debunking Common Myths

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Looking to prevent dental trauma injuries during your AFL season? Aussie football is an extremely demanding and close-contact sport that can result in all kinds of injuries and accidents such as chipped teeth, fractured jaws, etc.

Sports mouth guard play an important part in protecting football players from taking all kinds of serious blows to the face by evenly distributing forces across the head region. Additionally, these also improve breathing and concentration.

In this blog, we will understand why athletes need mouth guards and debunk common myths. Let’s dig in!

Debunking Common AFL Mouth Guards Myths?

As Australian football is a close-contact sport. Athletes can face all kinds of potential injuries involving mouth and teeth areas. These include chipped, cracked, or dislodged teeth. Australian athletes have been facing these common injuries since 1986 when the AFL (Australian Football League) was founded.

Younger AFL players often don’t wear sports mouth guards during their training sessions. A sports mouth guard is designed to protect an athlete’s teeth and prevent any possible dental trauma or damage to the gums and cheek.

Myth 1: Do Mouth Guard Reduce Athletic Performance?

mouth guard
Athlete wears a sports mouth guard during play

Many football athletes often remove their sports mouth guards during sparring or coaching sessions. This is because they think that by removing the mouth guard, they’ll get some relaxation.

As a result, this opens the opportunity for potential dental trauma injuries, which is why a mouth guard is a crucial dental appliance. AFL athletes, either pro or amateur, understand that protection of mouth, teeth, and jaw is a priority. Therefore, choosing an ideal mouth guard is crucial for safety.

Myth 2: Does Mouth Guard Offer AFL Players Protection?

AFL athletes need durable mouth guards for protection as they are involved in a high-pace sport. This is because they put their bodies through a lot of physical exertion, which can result in experiencing dental trauma.

Furthermore, AFL players can also experience issues like lacerated soft tissues, fractured jaws, or dislodged teeth. This affects the player’s dental health but also results in involuntary clenching and grinding.

Myth 3: Do AFL players wear Mouth Guards?

mouth guards
A colorful set of sports mouth guards

Sports mouth guards are quite important for athletes who engage in physically demanding sports. While most AFL athletes wear mouth guards, some still underestimate its importance in the game. It is also used less in training when the play is expected to be less physically intense.

Importance of an AFL Sports Mouth Guard

Certain close-action sports, like Australian football, can be extremely physical and provide stress to athletes. Athletes can experience blows to the face or head, which can result in dental trauma issues like fractured jaws or chipped teeth.

A sports mouth guard acts as an effective protective cushion. That evenly distributes impact force along the jaws and head, which reduces the possibility of any major dental damage. This ensures that the jaws and teeth remain protected while they focus on their game.

Additionally, in certain cases, sports mouth guards can even reduce the possibility of attaining dental concussions. This is because mouth guards help distribute the impact of the force evenly across the dental area. As a result, mouth guards do not just provide protection but also enhance performance and confidence.

Key Features to Look for in an AFL Mouth Guard

There are factors that you need to consider before you finalize your decision on your sports mouth guard. These can include performance, thickness, durability, materials, comfort, and tailored fit.

Tailored Fitting

Sports mouth guards need to provide proper fitting to AFL athletes in order to provide the perfect fit and comfortable usage. It should not be too tight or too loose, causing your focus to get disrupted during intense sports sessions.

Durability

You need to choose a durable dental mouth guard for your AFL play sessions. The majority of mouth guards are made from flexible, BPA-free materials (EVA) that are also shock-resistant. Your mouth guard must be thick enough to bear heavy impact blows and enable you to breathe normally.

Efficient Protection

Sports mouth guards need to have proper thickness and durable material to provide efficient protection. Thickness of quality materials can play a part in impact absorption to the face.

Breathability

Football players need to breathe easily in order to perform and communicate effectively on the field. Therefore, mouth guards should enhance your breathability and airflow and should not get in the way of your game.

Types of Sports Mouth Guards

There are usually three common varieties of sports mouth guard available, which include:

Over-The-Counter (Stock)

These are the most commonly available mouth guards that you can easily obtain from any drugstore or pharmacy. You won’t be able to get a tailored fit and ideal protection as these are not customizable and come pre-formed. Stock mouth guards are ideal for casual players for training or less extreme play sessions.

Boil-and-Bite

This style of mouth guard is more easily available and crafted from thermoplastic that can be molded according to your teeth' impression. As a result, they offer better fit and protection but cannot match the protection and comfort provided by tailored mouth guards.

Custom-Fit

Tailor-made sports mouth guards that provide the best possible protection for your teeth and jaws. These are crafted using your dental teeth impressions under the supervision of a dentist in a secure and professional lab.

Custom sports mouth guards provide excellent fitting and comfort for long football play sessions. They ensure better focus and breathability with high-impact blows in mind, creating the perfect device that secures your amazing smile.

Which One Should You Choose?

You might be thinking about whether to secure a custom or boil & bite mouth guard. Boil & bite mouth guard offers affordability but offers limited protection as it is not specifically made just for you.

On the other hand, custom mouth guards, as provided by Smilepath, offer superior protection made from BPA-free materials for comfort and durability. These mouth guards offer the best tailored fit, 1-2mm thickness levels, and suit sporty lifestyle needs.

Benefits of Adopting Mouth Guards for AFL Players

There are amazing benefits for securing a sports mouth guard for long Australian football play sessions. If you wish to attain the best performance and peace of mind about securing your teeth on the field then a custom sports mouth guard is recommended.

All-Around Protection

Custom mouth guards offer better protection than other generic or boil & bite varieties because they are tailor-made for your unique dental structure. This greatly reduces any chances of movement during severe play impacts as your gums, teeth, and jaw remain protected.

Superior Comfort

Playing with an inferior sports mouth guard can reduce your focus and can damaging in the long run. Custom mouth guards enable you to focus more on the game rather than on adjusting your mouth guard which can cause distractions and decrease performance.

Enhanced Communication

Custom sports mouth guards can improve your overall communication on the field. These enable better airflow and breathability, which enhances your stamina. Additionally, you also don’t face any issues communicating with your mates during intense sports sessions.

Better Endurance

Investing in a custom mouth guard enables you to enjoy the best possible performance on the field. This is achieved due to better comfort and breathability which enhances your endurance. As a result, you can endure hard blows and impacts while remaining focused on the game.

Durability

Custom sports mouth guards are crafted from premium materials (EVA) which are not offered by other varieties. Due to better materials, these can withstand serious wear and tear in extreme sports. Furthermore, these can also last a whole football season and still remain effective.

Smilepath: Your One-Stop Destination for Affordable Custom Mouth Guards

Custom-style sports mouth guards offer superior protection and comfort but can be a little bit pricy. Good news, you can now get your hands on tailored mouth guards for you and your mates through Smilepath. These are made with durable materials and are quite affordable.

Minimal Prices

Athletes need to have dependable mouth guards for protecting their teeth and jaws. Smilepath offers you hassle-free protection without any kind of compromise. Enjoy customization options for sports mouth guards with amazing colors to suit your unique lifestyle.

You also get to enjoy a tailored fit, which ensures that you enjoy the best protection without any kind of distractions on the field. Furthermore, you also don’t need to visit the dentist as you can easily attain your comfortable mouth guard at home approved by dentists themselves.

At-Home Solutions

With Smilepath, you don’t need to pay charges for dental services. You just need to send us your unique dental mold through a dental impression kit. Afterwards, you will get your custom sports mouth guard, which saves you precious time.

Long-Lasting

Tailored sports mouth guards are designed to stand the test of time while offering you the best possible comfort. Furthermore, you will also be able to perform and communicate seamlessly while providing complete protection coverage for your teeth and jaws.

Ideal for Professional AFL Players

Experienced sports athletes at AFL understand the value of quality mouth guards. Custom mouth guards are best for all kinds of AFL sporting sessions, whether amateur or pro. They offer premium materials, cushioning, and protection for all kinds of heavy blows to the face or jaw.

Summing Up

There is no alternative for a quality sports mouth guard with a contoured fit. The level of comfort and protection offered by a tailored mouth guard can save AFL athletes from serious dental trauma, saving their potential career that hangs in the balance.

Smilepath offers a cost-effective solution by providing economical custom mouth guards for AFL players to suit their fast-paced lifestyle. So why wait? Invest in a quality dental guard that not only provides protection but does not let you down when you need it the most.

Worried For Your Dental Safety During AFL Games?
Smilepath provides custom mouth guard solutions that go beyond and provide unparalleled quality without compromises.
Order your custom mouth guard today!

FAQs

1. Why are custom mouth guards recommended for AFL players?

Custom mouthguards provide ultra protection and premium comfort for AFL players, reducing the risks of serious injuries like fractured jaws and chipped teeth. They fit snugly to your teeth, allowing enhanced communication, breathability, and increased focus during gameplay. Unlike other over-the-counter options, custom mouth guards absorb impact forces effectively, providing safety and improved performance on the playing field.

2. Do mouth guard improve athletic performance during AFL play sessions?

Yes, a custom mouth guard improves breathability, which enhances focus, enabling you to perform better on the field.

3. Where can we obtain custom mouth guards?

You can get your custom sports mouth guard from either a dentist or online through orthodontic device suppliers like Smilepath.

  • Alex Chang

    Alex Chang

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  • Dr. Narmeen

    Dr. Narmeen

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