Why do coaches, parents, and yes, those funny skating people in the vertical striped shirts always ask . . . Where’s your mouthguard, kid? This season and every season, before your beloved hits the ice, don’t forget one of the most important pieces of equipment your child will ever wear. Better yet, pack two in the hockey bag . . . just in case.
According to USAHockey.com, “The mouthguard is a required piece of equipment for youth hockey in the United States, but is optional for college and junior players. A form-fit mouthguard not only protects the teeth, but may also prevent concussions and injuries to the temporomandibular joint.”
How it works
Shock Doctor®, one of the largest sports mouthguard manufacturers around the globe states, “When there is an impact to the jaw or mouth, a mouthguard absorbs and redistributes the force of the blow, lessening the severity of an impact and possibly keeping the force of an impact from moving to the brain.”
Mouthguard 101 (Source: ShockDoctor.com)
- Your mouthguard should feel tight, yet fit comfortably to ensure that it will stay in place for better protection.
- Mouthguards designed with optimum thickness better absorb and deflect impact that can cause injuries.
- With a single-layer mouthguard, one material must do two jobs: creating the mouthguard form and absorbing shock. A multi-layer mouthguard offers additional protection because the “forming” layer helps the mouthguard fit snugly in place. The additional layers combine to create an optimum thickness and help provide protection against shock and impact.