The Gag Reflex: Why Do Mouthguards Cause Gagging And How To Avoid It
One of the biggest complaints that athletes have about wearing mouthguards is that they are uncomfortable. And a lot of times that’s because their mouthguards make them gag.
One of the biggest complaints that athletes have about wearing mouthguards is that they are uncomfortable. And a lot of times that’s because their mouthguards make them gag.Gagging of any kind is obviously going to be uncomfortable, and it’s certainly something players don’t want to experience on the field, court or ice.
So, why are their mouthguards making them gag? How does it happen, and is it avoidable?
It’s pretty simple: when a mouthguard makes a player gag, something is clearly wrong with the mouthguard.
A common myth about mouthguards is that they need to completely cover all of the upper teeth. But that is actually false and part of the reason why mouthguards cause gagging.
There are two main ways to avoid gagging from a mouthguard. First, check the cut. Is it too high or too long, causing unwanted material where it is not needed?
In order to keep from gagging, mouthguards must avoid the soft palate — the fleshy, flexible part toward the back of the roof of the mouth. That means your player’s mouthguard must end between the end of the first molar and midway through the second.
Any protective material in the soft palate area is providing no protection from any injury, so no material should enter this area from your mouthguard to avoid any discomfort.
And don’t worry, a mouthguard cut properly actually provides better protection, as too much material towards the molars makes the mouthguard more uncomfortable while providing minimal amounts of additional protection.
The thickness of the material used for the mouthguard is the second factor that leads to gagging.
It’s important to maintain proper thickness for protection but anything beyond that could cause uncomfortable gagging. That material also makes it difficult to open and close the mouth. Mouthguards should fit snug against the upper teeth, without needing to bite or clench.
While this may vary from sport to sport, with some sports requiring more protection than others, all mouthguards should have at least 4mm thickness of material in the important impact zones — the areas in front of the teeth and under the molars.
When material is too thick, it may leave the mouth to far open causing issues with proper breathing and swallowing. And that also affects the gag reflex.
When a mouthguard makes your player gag, there is something wrong with the mouthguard. Make sure the cut and thickness of the material is right for each player’s individual mouth structure.
10 thoughts on “The Gag Reflex: Why Do Mouthguards Cause Gagging And How To Avoid It”
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I do jiu jitsu and have a small north and an awful, awful gag reflex!! I’ve tried boil and bites and even get the kid size, but I can not stop gagging to even form them. What do you suggest.
I am sorry to hear you have so much trouble with mouthguards. First, a custom mouthguard will be built just for your mouth. So there is no need to worry about “size” since it will be made to fit you! Second, our Gladiator is made with a patented Xtreme cut design to remove material linked to gagging. So this will help you greatly. As far as the best style, we recommend you look at the HP and HP Lite styles. These are our thinnest styles and will help you the most.
I’m getting into boxing but all mouthguards make me gag and I have a terrible gag reflex what mouth guard should I get?
You will certainly want to look into a custom mouthguard and not a boil-and-bite. We would suggest our Pro style and be sure to note on the order that you have a sensitive gag reflex and extra adjustments can be made for that!
I’m an mma practitioner but I have a horrible gag reflex with most mouth guards. What do you suggest?
Definitely avoid the Elite style. This is our thickest guard. You will probably want to request the Xtreme cut design as well on your order. The Full Back cut is typically used for MMA but you can request the Xtreme cut. You will also want to note this is because of your gag reflex and we will take extra measures to be sure your Gladiator is comfortable.
What is the pricing of your mouth gaurds?
Price depends on the style you need/choose. Simply click the shop link above and you can select by product, sport or use our interactive selection tool to help you.
Helpful summary. Thanks. My 8 year old son gags on conventional mouth guards. Suggested brands? Can a knife and hot water be used to customize a guards fit?
You can certainly trim most boil-and-bites to try and get a better fit. But be careful not to trim any protective areas. The issue is, a boil-and-bite or any stock guard is made on a general scale to try to suit everyone. It sounds as though your son is fairly sensitive and you should look into a custom mouthguard. A custom mouthguard like ours will be made from an impression of the athlete’s teeth. Not only does that give the guard a superior fit, helping with discomfort, but they are also hand cut specifically for that athlete. This will go a long way toward making your son comfortable. Their are multiple options out there when it comes to custom mouthguards, and any custom will be better than a boil-and-bite, but we do have a patented cut design to further eliminate gagging and discomfort.