Wearing mouth protection, commonly known as a mouthguard, does not have a negative impact on athletic performance. This is evident from research soon to be published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research [1].
Mouthguard Mandate
Last year, the discussion about making mouthguard wear mandatory in hockey arose once again. The catalyst was the literal blow to the face received by international player Seve van Ass with a hockey stick.
Result: Ten broken teeth and a broken jaw.
Another outcome was the establishment of the “Prevention of Dental Injuries” task force, which was tasked with conducting research on this matter [2]. A majority of 85.2% were already wearing mouthguards. Another finding was that a significant majority believed that wearing a mouthguard should be made mandatory.
On September 22, it was announced that as of July 15, 2015, wearing a mouthguard is mandatory during hockey matches in all categories.
Why No Mouthguard?
One might wonder why a minority chose not to wear a mouthguard. Perhaps because there is a small minority of athletes who need to break ten teeth and a jaw before realizing that wearing one is advisable.
Often it is claimed that communication becomes difficult with a mouthguard. Another complaint is that it makes breathing more difficult. For the latter reason, various manufacturers have produced breathable mouthguards. The researchers wanted to study to what extent these restrict breathing and negatively impact athletic performance.
Why Hockey is Interesting for Fitsociety?
Before delving into this research, let me explain why I find it interesting as a non-native inhabitant of the Randstad region. “That elitist, posh hockey has nothing to do with the ultra-cool, everything-is-about-strength-and-muscle-mass”?
Correct.
My interest has nothing to do with the ladies running bent over the field in short skirts, but everything to do with the fact that mouthguards are also widely used in combat sports. That’s where my macho-alpha-male interest lies as a kobujutsu teacher and former practitioner of karate, iaido, judo, and aikido.
Furthermore, you never know where relevant knowledge will come from. In that regard, I found this research worth mentioning.
No Negative Impact of Mouthguard
Researchers from Elon University (North Carolina) compared the impact of not wearing a mouthguard (control group) with wearing a standard “boil and bite” mouthguard and with wearing a breathable mouthguard (Nike Adult Intake Convertible Mouthguard).
This is not the first study to examine this. Previous research from 2005 showed that a standard, non-breathable mouthguard indeed restricts breathing [3]. More recent research using custom-made mouthguards showed improved oxygen uptake [4]. This didn’t even involve the breathable mouthguards that have recently appeared on the market. Hence, the researchers from North Carolina saw a reason to study these as well. So, they would compare the effects of:
- A) no mouthguard (“Control”)
- B) a standard boil-and-bite mouthguard (“TradMG”)
- C) A breathable boil-and-bite mouthguard (“VentMG”).
Fifteen men visited the laboratory four times. The first time, they were briefed about the research and fitted with the two mouthguards (i.e., boiled and worn to shape). The other three times, the actual research was conducted under one of these three conditions.
Agility Test Setup:
One of the aspects tested was (explosive) agility. For this, the men had to perform five tests including: 40-meter sprint, high jump, long jump, lateral jump, the so-called “3 cone drill” sprinting from cone to cone, and the “shuttle run” (also known as the “beep test”).
The performances under the three different conditions were compared.
Maximal Exercise Test Setup
Afterwards, they did a so-called “maximal exercise test” half an hour later. They did this by cycling on a bike with resistance increasing every five minutes.
During this, oxygen uptake and heart rate under the three different conditions were compared. Midway, they were asked how fatigued they felt to compare perceived fatigue. Finally, in the last minute, the amount of lactic acid in the blood was also compared.
Maximal Exercise Test Results:
- Perceived fatigue during maximal exercise test: Traditional mouthguard led to a feeling of more fatigue, but this difference was not statistically significant and could thus be due to chance. With the breathable mouthguard, there was no difference compared to not wearing a mouthguard at all.
- Regarding heart rate, oxygen uptake, and blood oxygen levels, there were no differences among the conditions.
- The breathable mouthguard resulted in less lactic acid compared to the control group and the traditional mouthguard during high exertion.
Agility Test Results:
On the right, you can see the results of the agility tests. There were no statistically significant differences in any of the points tested except for high jumping. This was significantly better with the breathable mouthguard.
Mentally, however, both the breathable and traditional mouthguards made individuals feel like they couldn’t breathe and communicate as well. There was no difference between the mouthguards in this regard.
Conclusion on Mouthguard’s Influence on Aerobic Capacities
So, when it comes to aerobic capacities, or how your body deals with oxygen during exertion, wearing a mouthguard has no negative effect. Wearing a breathable mouthguard can even be advantageous. This was evident especially in high jumping.
These findings confirm that the traditional mouthguard has no negative impact on physiological function during exercise and physical agility; however, the breathable mouthguard may have a positive impact at higher workload and on vertical leap.
S. Bailey, Elon University
That small minority who currently refuse to wear a mouthguard but will soon be required to do so can thus breathe a sigh of relief, literally and figuratively.
References
- Bailey, Stephen P.; Willauer, Thomas; Balilionis, Gytis; Wilson, Laura; Salley, John; Bailey, Elizabeth; Strickland, Tony L.E FFECTS OF AN OVER THE COUNTER VENTED MOUTHGUARD ON CARDIORESPIRATORY RESPONSES TO EXERCISE AND PHYSICAL AGILITY.Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research:Post Acceptance: September 26, 2014
- Hockey.nl/artikelen/breedtesport/taskforce-preventie-tandletsel-start-onderzoek/
- Delaney, JS, and Montgomery, DL. Effect of noncustom bimolar mouthguards on peak ventilation in ice hockey players. Clin. J. Sport Med. 15: 154-157, 2005.
- Garner, DP, Dudgeon, WD, Scheett, TP, and McDivitt, EJ. The effects of mouthpiece use on gas exchange parameters during steady-state exercise in college-aged men and women. J. Am. Dent. Assoc. 142: 1041-1047, 2011.
