Football is an extremely physical sport. Play after play, eleven players on one team collides with the other eleven players across from them with malicious intent.
The importance of wearing a mouth guard while playing football goes without saying. Mouthguards are used for absorbing hits so that your teeth don’t get knocked out. It’s extremely expensive to get your teeth fixed/replaced, and even if you have dental insurance it is a tedious and painful process that could easily be prevented by wearing a mouthpiece when playing contacts sports…especially football.
What to Look for in a Football Mouth Guard?
When looking to purchase a mouthpiece you want to look for something thick so that when you bite down your top and bottom teeth don’t make contact. A thicker mouth guard provides more shock absorption, which helps you make hits without potentially losing your teeth or breaking your jaw.
School programs tend to give out a standard mouthguard; giving the player the option of using that opposed to purchasing their own. It is much more safer to go out and purchase your mouthpiece simply because of quality. The basic mouthpiece is very thin and cheaply made, and the life expectancy is not very long in the slightest. This mouth guard is poor at absorbing hits based on the fact that it is so thin. That’s why it’s best to buy something made with good quality and duration; that way, you can protect your teeth and reduce the likelihood of concussion or other injuries in the jaw area.
Top Football Mouth Guards Comparison Chart
Mouth Guard Fitting
A mouth guard can’t protect you if you just place it in your mouth and go play football or another contact sport. You need to get it fitted. What to I mean by that? The answer is quite simple. To get full protection from your mouth guard you will need to mold your teeth into the product and let it dry that way every time you bite into it, it has a sturdy fit into your mouth.
To fit a mouth guard you must put the product in a pan or pot filled with boiling water for a few minutes and then bite into the product like you would prior to a football game. After biting the mouth guard and sucking any excess water, you can then remove the mouth guard and run it under cold water for about 60-90 seconds. Place it in its own area and let it cool down for a few minutes. After a couple of hours, your mouthpiece will be ready to go and will contain your teeth molding!
Most products provide you with instructions so if you follow those you will be on your way to effectively fitting your mouth guard.
Best Football Mouthguard Reviews
When investing in a mouth guard it doesn’t hurt to look at the big name suppliers in the sports industry such as Under Armour or the very popular and affordable Shock Doctor. These 5 mouth guards on Amazon are definitely worth the money:
1. Battle Limited-Edition Oxygen Lip Protector Mouth Guard
This mouth guard has become very popular since its release and understandably so. The cool teeth design is a sell on its own, but what makes this mouth guard exceptional outside its design is the unique hole in the front of the mouth guard which gives the user an ability to access air through their mouth; something you cannot do with traditional mouth guards.
Another plus about this product is that it does not require boiling. You can literally buy the Battle mouth guard and wear it right after. You can wear this product with or without braces, so there wouldn’t be a need to buy a special guard when it comes to the Battle brand.
The Battle Oxygen Lip Protector mouth guard is also backed by a $5000 dental warranty. If a company is willing to provide that much in dental warranty I’m sure they are confident that their product is the best in the market, otherwise, they would have to pay for a lot of dental plans!
The Battle mouth guard comes in many colors including the American flag and Green Camo. It also comes with an optional strap just in case you want to attach it to your facemask on your helmet. And at a very reasonable price on Amazon, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Pros
- Unique design on the lip guard
- Hole in the middle provides extra breathing room unlike traditional mouth guards
- No need to boil for fitting, just buy it and put it in!
Cons
- Not everyone likes to wear a lip guard with their mouthpiece
- Some people prefer the feeling of their teeth molded into the mouth guard
- Players who prefer simplicity may not choose this mouth guard first
2. Shock Doctor Gel Max Convertible Mouth Guard
Shock Doctor has been known for years to be the brand to go to when it came down to a reliable mouth guard. Their reputation alone puts them in the conversation and the performance of their product speaks for itself.
At face value, the Shock Doctor Gel Max looks like the typical mouth guard, no cool design or extra breathing hole. Admittedly, this mouth guard may not pass the fashion guidelines but its quality is what makes it great. This mouth guard is extremely easy to fit as it contains a gel-fit liner for your teeth to sink in rather than the traditional plastic. The Exoskeletal Shock Frame provides the top impact protection and plenty of colors to choose from. Some people on Amazon are content with the fitting of the Shock Doctor while others claim the product is “too narrow” or uncomfortable. It is really up to the consumer to determine their perfect mouth guard.
If you’re not in the market to look cool on the field but to protect teeth from breaking, then the Shock Doctor is definitely a product to consider. It’s lightweight, provides you with an optional strap, and is made with outstanding material. It will last you long and is the most consumed and feasible brand in the market.
Pros
- Exoskeletal material has very good quality to protect against impact
- The Shock Doctor brand is known for its mouth guards
- Easy to fit and plenty of colors to choose from
Cons
- Lacks designs
- Resembles older mouth guards (No breathing hole for more air access)
- Doesn’t always have a perfect fit for everyone.
3. Shock Doctor 3300 Max Air Flow Lip guard
If you want the Shock Doctor brand name attached to your mouth guard but want something more modernized with better airflow then this is the mouth guard to get. The name says it all: this mouthpiece provides maximum protection with an attached lip guard and maximum air flow thanks to the breathing hole in the front.
This mouthpiece is essentially an exact replica of the Battle mouthpiece up at #1, and is also similarly priced for an adult size, so how do you decide which to buy? It all comes down to the brand and design. If you want a top name brand in the mouth guard industry then Shock Doctor is the way to go. If you want a sick design that makes you look like a monster on the field (Shock Doctor also provides the American flag and camo combos) then go with the Battle Mouthguard. Besides design, there isn’t much of a difference between the two. Both offer a dental warranty on their products and essentially give you the same service of being able to breathe through your mouth while protecting your teeth by absorbing impact.
Pros
- Added lip guard implements maximum protection of your mouth
- Breathing hole in the front so the player can breathe easily through their mouth
- Shock Doctor material Absorbs impact very well
Cons
- May not be as durable as other mouth guards as per Amazon reviews
- May not be as big as other products which could result in discomfort
- Lacks variety of designs for those looking for appearance
4. Under Armour Mouth Wear Armourfit Mouthguard
You shouldn’t expect anything less than exceptional quality when buying a product from Under Armour. The ArmourFit technology put into this mouth guard makes it worth looking at. Reviews have claimed that this mouth guard was a “perfect fit” and had a great look. It was also reported that the Under Armour ArmourFit mouth guard is thick in size so you won’t have to worry about rattling your teeth during a game because your mouthpiece is too thin. It looks as though the strap to connect to your facemask is permanently fused with the mouthpiece, but that can’t really stop you from cutting off the strap with a scissor if it really bothers you.
While this product looks nice and Under Armour is known to produce quality products, I think there are better options in the mouth guard market. If you really need a mouth guard for a low price, I would recommend this one, but if you can spend a little more I would go with something that has more protection and variety.
Pros
- ArmourFit technology offers thick, absorbent mouth guard
- Starts at a reasonable price of
- Under Armour provides $32,000 Dental Warranty
Cons
- Seems as though other brands offer more protection and design
- Strap is built into the mouth guard; someone who doesn’t want it has to cut it off
- Could be more durable
5. Vettex Double Mouthguard with Lip Protection
Most of you who follow football must be thinking, “what in the world is Vettex?!” From the looks of it, based of pictures on Amazon my conclusion is that this Vettex mouth guard is just a cheap version of the Shock Doctor 3300 and the Battle mouth guard…without the air hole. The only element of this product that caught my eye was the Vegas Gold color, which isn’t very common for a mouth guard. Besides that and the fact that it has a lip guard to protect your lips from getting damaged, there isn’t much upside for this brand. It is extremely cheap for an adult mouth guard.
Honorable Mention: Best Football Mouth Guard For Braces
So you’re playing football and you have braces. What are you supposed to do? Clearly, if you try and mold a standard mouth guard the odds are that you are probably going to destroy the mouth guard and your braces in the process.
Luckily there is a solution:
The Shock Doctor Double Braces Mouth Guard
These are great because they protect your upper and lower teeth, and have been specifically designed with Ortho-channels for comfort and protection from lacerations. There are also ventilation channels for increased airflow.
Plus, the silicon fits around the braces and adapts to any changes in the mouth. In other words, you don’t need to re-fit or buy another mouth guard!
Pros
- Ortho-channels prevent cuts
- Ventilation holes help with breathing
- Both your upper and lower teeth are protected
Cons
- They tend to run small in size
- The soft material has the potential to catch on to the braces of the user
- Extremely bulky
The Verdict
When one is shopping for a mouth guard, the first element they need to consider is the quality of the material. In order to protect your teeth, jaw, and lips, you need to buy a product that will guard your mouth, and contain impact-absorbing material. Remember, you are going to be using this often so make sure that you don’t experience any discomfort when wearing it. I recommend going with any Shock Doctor mouth guard, but if you want the maximum amount of protection and breathing ability, go out and get the Shock Doctor 3300. The Battle limited edition Oxygen lip protector mouth guard offers similar perks, except the radiant teeth design, will make you look more hardcore and most likely intimidate your opponent. Either one of these products will serve you well on the field; it ultimately comes down to personal cosmetic preference.