Ducati Sporting Club UK > General > Idle Chat > Mouth guards - Do you use one? Maybe you should?

[domski]

I noticed that most of the GP guys are using these now, not just Rossi.

It got me thinking, so I had a quick look about the net and stumbled across a very very good reason to use one...

It not only protects your teeth, but it also helps protect your brain. While wearing a mouthpiece, it creates a small gap at the end of your mandible( jaw bone ), this in turn helps prevent concusions and brain bruising.

DISCLAIMER: I am in no means a doctor of any type. This is information gathered from both my Dentist and Primary Care Physician.

...and a follow up to that post...

Mouthguards counteract brain damage and don't just prevent your teeth from getting bashed in (although they do protect against that as well).

I would stay away from the $8.- generic pieces you find at the drugstore. Sports doctors do not recommend stock or boil-and-bite mouthguards due to their lack of retention and protection.

Ask your dentist about pressure laminated custom mouthguards, and tell him what you're going to use it for. Mouthpieces for motorcyclists are sometimes smaller than mouthpieces used by football players or full contact fighters. Expect to pay in the neighborhoood of $100.- to $200.- for a good custom guard.

With all that said, I don't currently wear a mouthguard. I've simply been too busy and lazy to get fitted. But getting a good custom one is pretty high on my list of priorities.

I guess this would be a good idea for road riders as well as racers.

What do you think?

[phillc]

I've always worn a mouthguard when playing Rugby. I used to have one of the special mould custom jobbies from a dentist. However, I have a nasty habit of leaving the mouthguard in my shorts pocket when they go through the wash- which in turn melts the mouthguard into wierd and wonderful shapes.

For the last three years I've simply worn the "boil-and-bite" type guards. And have lost about 3 to the washing machine :-) They don't fit quite as well as the custom ones from a dentist, but I have taken some heavy knocks to the face and can attest to their teeth protective abilities.

I haven't ever thought about wearing one while riding. Mouthguards aren't the most comfortable things to wear - even the expensive custom moulds. But when focussed on a Rugby game, I generally forget it's even there. Maybe it would be the same in a motorcycle race. For road riding though, I'd say it would prove to be exceedingly annoying.

Certainly food for thought though.

[doogalman]

I despatched for 9 years, and believe it to be the reason that i have lost teeth over the years due to the constant knocking they got, If i had had a guard i believe i would today have a near full set of knashers.

[antonye]

Some of mine are held in by titanium screws and carbon fibre rods, so it won't make much difference to me!

[TP]

Originally Posted by antonye

Some of mine are held in by titanium screws and carbon fibre rods, so it won't make much difference to me!

.

Bloody bling merchant!

I've always had the boil and bite types for rugby and have been thinking about getting one done at the dentist for racing. I've bought the best back protector on the market, I've started wearing a chest guard as well so it makes sense to protect the chompers - especially seeing as two of my front teeth are false (post and crown's) and are very expensive!

Makes sense to me.

[twpd]

I broke a tooth last year in a crash at Croft when I was a passenger in an F1 chair. Ever since then I've thought about using a guard although it was a molar I broke - not sure a guard would have prevented that as it was an impact to the side of my head that did it.