Protection from your opponent, protection from accidentally biting into your opponent’s knuckles, protection from losing a front tooth and looking like the next Stu from Hangover.
Boxing is a dangerous sport posing many risks. Without the best boxing mouth guard, you could end up with severe medical conditions. We all know that this is not going to stop the little boxer in you from pursuing this combat sport that makes you feel alive and invincible.
It’s a different story if you only practice boxing on a punching bag. But when an opponent comes into play it is important to be well equipped with safety gear than to be regretful later.
Whether you are a rookie boxer or if you are dissatisfied with your purchase of an incompatible boxing mouth guard, in this article I am going to provide you with the assistance required to pick a suitable boxing mouth guard.
It is vital to look into investing in a boxing mouth guard before taking your boxing dreams to the next level. Choosing the perfect mouth guard tailored just for you can get quite confusing. There are many options out there in the market.
I have conducted a comprehensive study just for you, taking into account the views and suggestions from professional boxers, comparing prices on online shopping websites and building a comparison study on features popular selling boxing mouth guards contain.
Hopefully, this article makes choosing a little less worrisome and confusing. After all, you do not want to end up with a mouth guard that is uncomfortable and ruins the excitement of your game time.
Best Boxing Mouth Guard Reviewed
Now, let’s finally dive into the options available in the market.
#1 – Shock Doctor Mouth guard
Almost every boxing blog features Shock Doctor; a boil-n-bite guard. Shock Doctor boasts of the whole package: sleek design, a range of colors and sizes (men, women and youth), a comfortable and great fit.
It is the most common mouth guard out there in the market partly owing to its price range of $5 to $30. They specialize in mouth guards for all kinds of sports. Boxing mouth guards of this brand have a slim design and are soft material based. It is ideal for a rookie boxer’s first mouth guard.
In addition to this, Shock Doctor also sells mouth guards that are specially designed to accommodate people who wear braces. The only drawback would be that due to its material make-up, it can be easily bit through, melts while boiling, plus many people feel that these mouth guards fall off easily.
#2 – Brain-Pad Triple Laminated Mouth guard
Although Brain-Pad has a limited range of products, they offer high-quality ones with great fit and protection for those who prefer a hard material mouth guard. They only feature double mouth guard designs. Brain-Pad mouth guards can feel bulky but they do not lack big breathing holes that make it less suffocating for the user.
They also have some mouth guards that have a relatively slimmer design for better comfort and fit. The rigid strength provides better dispersion upon impact.
The drawbacks of this product would have to be associated with its bulkier guards; a user may find it a little too stiff to their liking, the bulkiness leaves their mouth too opening thus making the user vulnerable to getting knocked out, the mouth guard can cause too much saliva in the mouth (giving the user a gagging sensation). The slimmer counterpart, however, eliminates these issues.
#3 – Venum Challenger Mouth guard
Venum is also a pretty popular brand of mouth guards that people opt for. Venum mouth guards come in a range of different designs and are reasonably priced. Venum is no stranger to providing good quality and a good fit. Their price ranges from $8 to $20.
They have a multilayer construction to better distribute impact. Venum offers quality boil-n-bite mouth guards. Their brochure claims that the premium ‘Venum Predator Mouth guard’ has passed the M33:2011 Performance Level 2 impact test.
#4 – Makura Ignis Pro Mouthguard
Makura is a company that is solely dedicated to the production of mouth guards for different sports. They have specially designed guards that have levels of protection which are specific to the sport. The recommended Makura boxing mouth guard is the Makura Tephra Max. This mouth guard is a multi density-based and has a Level 3 Impact Resistance.
For people with braces, they have the Makura Lithos Pro. The Lithos Pro has Level 2 Impact Resistance; the highest attainable level for ready-made mouth guards. Almost all their products come with a removable strap that can be used to attach the guard to the boxer’s helmet. Makura products are CE approved and certified.
Features you need to pay attention to when picking the best boxing mouth guard
Fit
Choosing a mouth guard with a perfect fit is not only about your comfort. When you purchase a mouth guard that does not have a perfect fit, you are susceptible to receiving the very same injuries you wanted to protect yourself from when sparring.
A perfect fit ensures that the guard remains in place without the need of you clenching your teeth to hold it in place, or for that matter when you receive impact on your jaw or face the mouth guard would not fall out. You could check the fit by opening your mouth; the mouth guard should not get misaligned and should not hinder your ability to speak or breathe.
Certification
Choose a mouth guard that is certified by a national or international safety approval organization. This ensures that the product you buy conforms to standard safety requirements and is impact tested to provide maximum protection to the user.
Size and breathability
You need to decide on the size of mouth guard you would feel more comfortable with. It is important that your mouth guard allows you to breathe freely. The breath-ability factor is dependent on the size and position of breathing holes.
A visit to the dentist would help you gain a better understanding of your jaw structure to aid you in making your choice. And you could always have a custom-built mouth guard made by the dental clinic.
Shock-absorbing qualities
Some people find that a bulkier mouth guard provides a better shock absorbance feature. The only drawback would be that it would not be as comfortable and might stick out when you close your mouth.
However, a smaller mouth guard would rest more comfortably in your mouth than its bulkier counterpart and does provide adequate protection from blows.
Although these factors are heavily dependent on the density of the material used. Another choice you would have to make is whether you would prefer a mouth guard that only protects the upper teeth.
It is recommended that a boxer sports a mouth guard that covers both the top and bottom set of teeth to prevent unexpected trauma one might face from the throwing of punches during the brawl.
Density and Flexibility
The smart thing to do would be to opt for a mouth guard that is constructed of multi-density linings. This refers to mouth guards that have a hard outer layer, soft inner layer and an optional gel-based liner that cushion against the teeth and gums.
The purchase of a single density lined mouth guard has more drawbacks than advantages. A soft material based guard may provide you overall comfort when equipped but it just makes it easier for your teeth to bite through on impact, it does not provide support to your jaw and is less durable.
A hard material based guard would provide support on impact and not let your teeth bite through it but the hardness of the material would not allow the guard to mould well into your teeth structure and you would just end up feeling very uncomfortable. (I will highlight a better-unbiased description I have made on hard and soft mouth guards)
Braces and other dental appliances
If you wear dental braces or retainers or bridges or have implant-supported dentures, look for specially designed boxing mouth guards that are compatible with users who wear any of the aforementioned dental appliances so that you can protect both you and orthodontic supports from impact damage.
Or like I previously suggested, you could visit your dentist and have them specially design a mouth guard for the much-needed protection.
Your style statement
You can choose between having a mouth guard that you can strap or not have strapped to your helmet. With a custom mouth guard, you can have a personally tailored design, color and layout that could represent you as an individual or simply display your name and logo.
All it takes is investing a little extra or sometimes double the money depending on the customization you want. Remember, this would be totally worth it as you will be making use of your mouth guard for a very long time.
Hard material vs. Soft material mouth guards
Mouth guards are sold based on the level of hardness: soft, medium (multi-layers) and hard. The selection of the level of hardness is completely dependent on your personal preference, bite strength and teeth hardness.
A stronger jaw and bite would entail that you use a hard mouthguard as a soft one would have you easily biting through the material and making it unusable.
| Soft mouth guards | Hard mouth guards |
| Less durable as it is easier for teeth to bite through it | Relatively higher durability as the material makes it harder for teeth to bite through |
| Melts easily during boil process but is too weak to reboil | Can be reboiled if the fit is not correct around your teeth structure |
| Since it is less rigid it has the tendency to not entirely distribute the whole impact | The stiffness of the material moulds onto your structure better and is less likely to fall out when you open your mouth |
Types of Boxing Mouth Guards
Stock Mouth Guard
Store available mouth guards that are pre-formed and ready to wear. These are the least expensive of the three types and also have the worst fit, comfort and protection.
Mouth-Formed Mouth guard
Either a boil-n-bite type or a shell liner. The boil-n-bite type is placed in boiling water and then moulded into the teeth structure by the user. It allows the user to reheat and refit the mould if the fit gets misaligned or does not rest comfortably in the mouth. A shell liner is a mouth guard that is lined with an acrylic gel or rubber that moulds to the teeth structure.
Custom Fitted Mouth Guards
These provide the greatest degree of comfort and protection as they are custom moulded to your structure by your dentist. The only drawback would be that it’s relatively more expensive than the other two types and that there is a bit of a waiting period for you to get these customized mouth guards due to the specific design and setting time.
Storage and hygiene Tips for Mouth Gaurds
It is important to maintain proper hygiene when storing your mouth guard to prevent possible infection and spread of disease. Below I have highlighted some tips to maintain your oral hygiene while making use of a mouth guard.
- Brush and floss your teeth before putting on the mouthguard to prevent food particles from contaminating your mouthguard.
- Do not eat with or chew on your mouthguard. It could distort the mould and reduce the guard’s durability.
- After using your mouthguard, do not throw it in your bag along with your gear. Wash it with cool (not hot!) water and soap to disinfect it. Soak it in mouthwash before transferring it into its plastic storage container.
- Ensure that the plastic storage container is well ventilated when it is not in use.
- Never place your mouthguard in a hot place or in direct sunlight or in a closed vehicle. It needs to be stored in a cool place as heat can damage the mould of the mouth guard.
- Do not share your mouth guard or wear someone else’s mouthguard. It is unhygienic as you or the other person could contract a sickness or disease from the other.
- Do not try to change the fit of your mouthguard yourself; have your dentist adjust it.
Conclusion
So, this was the overall article for helping you find the best mouth guard as per your taste. If you need any more help or you are confused in selecting a mouth guard, just drop a comment and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.