Why Do You Need Serious Protective Equipment For Serious Injuries?

If you could buy sneakers that gave you the ability to jump and dunk like LeBron James, would you buy them? If you could get a lacrosse stick that gave you the ability to never drop a pass or miss the net, would you get it?

As an athlete, the answer is probably yes. You want to be successful after all; and if there’s a way to have your gear enhance your performance, you are going to get that gear.

But when it comes to protective gear, the same thought process doesn’t seem to apply. You know a speeding puck has the ability to break your leg, so you buy pads instead of strapping pieces of cardboard to your shins; but are you purchasing the highest quality pads? Probably not, because those pads don’t tangibly help enhance your play on the field, court or ice.

For some reason, protective equipment doesn’t have the same value to athletes that more visible pieces of gear do, like shoes, sticks or jerseys. But, if there was a piece of protective gear that could protect you from a lifelong injury, wouldn’t you want that?

Much like lightweight composite hockey sticks or sweat-wicking uniforms, protective equipment has advanced tremendously over the years — specifically mouthguards. Yet the culture of oral protection has yet to catch up and most athletes are still using outdated gear.

Unlike a broken leg, broken or lost teeth don’t heal. More than five million teeth are knocked out each year during recreational sports and, as an athlete, you have a 33-56% chance of receiving an orofacial injury — an injury to the mouth or face — during your playing career. The lifetime cost to replace one tooth: approximately $20,000.

Again, these are lifelong injuries, requiring countless dentist visits, endless maintenance and untold expenses. But they don’t have to be. That’s why the days of “any old mouthguard will do” are long over.

Custom mouthguards are the shoes that make you run faster and the stick that lets you score easier. Because they are designed to fit your individual mouth structure, custom mouthguards are right where you need them to be when impact does occur. They do not fall out of your mouth or shift out of place, providing you with the best protection and the most comfort possible. And that means they actually do enhance your performance — from breathing uninhibitedly and taking in the optimal amounts of oxygen, to being able to speak and drink clearly without needing to remove your guard.

Plus, with the ability to completely personalize your custom mouthguard — name, number, logos and colors — you’ll have a piece of protective gear that you value as much as your shoes, jersey or helmet. Now that’s serious.

Want a serious piece of protective equipment to protect against serious injuries? Look no further than custom mouthguards.

Author Bio

Bobbie Quinn, co-founder of Gladiator Custom Mouthguards, played both lacrosse and field hockey as a youth and went on to play Division 1 women’s lacrosse in college. Bobbie continues to play women’s league field hockey and enjoys watching her son play various sports.