Stop Getting Inferior Mouthguards And Invest In Your Players’ Protection

Boil-and-bite mouthguards are basically big chunks of rubber that make it hard for athletes to breathe or speak. They are uncomfortable, which is distracting to players during a game, and they don’t provide the proper protection for which they’re intended. Frankly, if it were up to your players, they simply wouldn’t wear them.

So why are you still getting them for your players?

Mouthguards may seem like an afterthought piece of equipment, but they have the ability to not only help prevent serious injury, but enhance the performance of your team. Here’s why you need to stop getting your players inferior mouthguards and invest in their protection.

Why you need to stop getting your players inferior mouthguards:

1. They constantly get “lost”

Sometimes they’re dropped on the field and an athlete doesn’t care to pick it up and use it because it’s dirty. Other times players just simply don’t want to wear them, so they “forget” it in their locker or at home. When a piece of equipment is generic yet mandatory, athletes tend to take a negative approach to that piece of equipment. It has no meaning to them, and their mindset is “it’s just a piece of rubber I have to wear because those are the rules.”

2. They are chewed through in two games

With boil-and-bite mouthguards, your players chew through an average of one mouthguard every two games. That’s roughly ten a season! Sure, boil-and-bite mouthguards are inexpensive and seemingly cheap to replace, but do the math again — ten mouthguards per athlete per season surely adds up. There are much more efficient ways to use your budget.

3. They hurt your athletes’ performance

Mouthguards that aren’t designed taking into account the individual structure of each player’s mouth, inhibit your players’ ability to speak and breathe properly on the field, court or ice; and that means a diminished performance. And the cons of a boil-and-bite guard don’t end there — mouthguards that don’t fit perfectly to your athletes’ mouths are loose, drop out of place and are just plain uncomfortable. You don’t want your players focused on their mouthguards during a game.

Why you need to get your players custom mouthguards:

1. They have value to your players

Equipment that is personalized to the individual athlete — such as jerseys, shoes and sticks — is valuable to that athlete. A player’s gear is an extension of their self; it represents them, with their number, name and team logo, and shows that they’re apart of the team. When your players value a piece of equipment, they don’t “lose” or “forget” that equipment.

2. They last throughout the season

Cost aside, how much time do you spend during the season making sure your players have their mouthguards and getting new ones for players who either lost or chewed through theirs? That’s time that would be better spent planning for upcoming games. Custom mouthguards that are produced with heat and laminated pressure are much more durable, and because they are handcut to each individual’s mouth structure, your players won’t bite through them.

3. They help improve performance

Not only are custom mouthguards much more comfortable because they are personalized to each athlete’s individual mouth structure, but they give them the appropriate thickness for the maximum amount of protection. Custom mouthguards even enhance performance and endurance through better oxygen intake, while allowing your players to communicate clearly. And that’s a fact. 

A Gladiator outlast a boil-and-bite guard 5-to-1, and with half-off reorders, you get the value you need. Invest in your players’ protection and give them the personalization they want with Gladiator Custom Mouthguards, the industry-leader in custom mouthguards.

Author Bio

Travis Armideo, marketing manager at Gladiator Custom Mouthguards, is a lifelong ice hockey player. He began playing for various clubs at a young age and continued onto junior teams, while also playing lacrosse at the collegiate level. Travis is still heavily involved in athletics, coaching high school and youth ice hockey athletes, as well as playing men’s league ice hockey on a regular basis.