Why Mouthguards for Only the Top Teeth?

[XukeLho]

As the title indicates, why people that use mouthguards only use them for the top teeth and not the lower teeth?

Is it because it only matters to protect the 'showing' teeth?

 

[Supermoose]

Naturally your top teeth slightly overlap your bottom teeth so the mouth guard provides protection in front of your bottom, mothguards a mostly designed for impacts like punches and things with a larger surface area than a bb. The impact would hit your top lip before your bottom. They also stop your teeth from smashing together in the event of an impact, you can get bottom row guards as well but id imagine it would make it a bit harder to breath

If your worried about lower protection a face mask is probably your best bet.

 

[Tackle]

Naturally your top teeth slightly overlap your bottom teeth 

Obviously you've never been to Thanet, or Lydd ?

 

[rj1986]

Mouth guards like you mention are for 1) shock absorption from your jaw/head being rattled and concussion, and then 2) protecting your upper teeth from your lower teeth and preventing any soft tissue damage,  and then your teeth and mouth from external damage.

For airsoft, lower or full face would be best bet.

 

[XukeLho]

I understand what mouthguards are mainly used for, and using them in airsoft was just a byproduct.

But if using them in airsoft is just to protect BB impact from chipping your tooth, the lower teeth are sometimes exposed.

I understand this following example is not the case for everyone but for people like myself (I use a mesh btw) that play with theyr mouth wich exposes the lower teeth.

This is not a post about what is better or what isn't. Its more of a 'conversation' to satisfy this curiosity of mine.

People that use mouth guards use it because they are obliged to? If they are willing to protect theyr upper teeth, why aren't they protecting theyr lower (because it isn't mandatory)?

 

[Cr0-Magnon]

I would say there are more people not using anything, than using mouthguards.

I would also say there is a science behind it, as boxers and MMA fighters also only use upper mouthguards.

 

[GeorgePlaysAirsoft]

I was gonna say that using a mouth guard for the upper teeth is just about better than nothing... then i remembered actually using mouth guards and ya know what im not sure it is!!! 

People that use mouth guards use it because they are obliged to? If they are willing to protect theyr upper teeth, why aren't they protecting theyr lower (because it isn't mandatory)?

im far from an expert but i just don't think having both upper and lower mouth guards is viable for many activities, including airsoft. I note that that lower teeth guards seem to be marketed for dental reasons rather then sports/activity reasons.

semi related but i have just got a "venom v2" from here: https://www.nb-tactical.de/

it is not quite as versatile as the delta mike snoods you can get, as you need to have a balaclava for it to work. however it is by far the most comfy (so far!) and low profile tooth protection I have had for airsoft - but i have yet to skirmish with it so take this with a pinch of salt

 

[Tackle]

Primary sport gumshields were intended for is boxing, as much to protect you from yourself as at the time of impact, giving or receiving lol, you tend to grit your teeth/lock your jaw, or if you receive an uppercut, to stop top & bottom set colliding.

Your opponents gloves are large enough to dissipate kinetic energy over a larger area, rather than a smaller focused target such as teeth.

Yeah a shield will offer protection against a focused impact such as a BB, but at what cost, wearing one while exercising for hours end (as opposed to 3 minute rounds) will be uncomfortable, probably make you gag quite a lot, & still only protect your top set of teeth, much better to wear a lower mesh shield etc.

Oh yeah, & they taste like shit after a while?

 

[Tackle]

Mouth guards like you mention are for 1) shock absorption from your jaw/head being rattled and concussion, and then 2) protecting your upper teeth from your lower teeth and preventing any soft tissue damage,  and then your teeth and mouth from external damage.

For airsoft, lower or full face would be best bet.

My bad, pretty much said what you did, that'll teach me to read the whole thread before replying lol

 

[Druid799]

Gumshields in airsoft are Just another example of miss use of a product through either lack of knowledge or lack of sense ? There designed to protect the user from blunt force trauma wether direct(a punch) or indirect(a tackle in rugby)for example which could slam the jaws together . They wern’t designed to protect from small object impacts traveling at any kind of velocity . Yes they will protect a large section of your teeth(but saying That the few times I’ve seen teeth get damaged the person was speaking and as most take there gumshields out to speak ?)from potential damage but not the soft tissue of your mouth so I’ll stick with my mesh mask thanks .?

 

[GenuineGerman]

Obviously you've never been to Thanet, or Lydd ?

Having grown up in the Marsh I feel I must defend its honour but yeah i agree about Lydd haha ? 

 

[DrAlexanderTobacco]

I understand what mouthguards are mainly used for, and using them in airsoft was just a byproduct.

But if using them in airsoft is just to protect BB impact from chipping your tooth, the lower teeth are sometimes exposed.

I understand this following example is not the case for everyone but for people like myself (I use a mesh btw) that play with theyr mouth wich exposes the lower teeth.

This is not a post about what is better or what isn't. Its more of a 'conversation' to satisfy this curiosity of mine.

People that use mouth guards use it because they are obliged to? If they are willing to protect theyr upper teeth, why aren't they protecting theyr lower (because it isn't mandatory)?

Some protection > No protection

It's not ideal, and I use lower mesh as well, but I get why people do it. I'd rather lose a bottom tooth than a top one, for sure.

 

[Tactical Pith Helmet]

You get knocked out easier with an open mouth, hence gumshields are designed to work mouth closed.   They are not, as said above, designed for airsoft.  

You can get double gumshields, they have a vent in the middle to breath through.  

All gumshields are horrible to wear.  

I should have added that I am moulding a new gumshield tomorrow, top row only; filling a new standing bag stand too  If you actually need a 'shield, you'll already know you do!  

 

[XukeLho]

Again, this is not to discuss what the mouthguard is mainly used for.

But to understand why people that use mouthguards in airsoft only protect the top teeth.

 

[rj1986]

Again, this is not to discuss what the mouthguard is mainly used for.

But to understand why people that use mouthguards in airsoft only protect the top teeth.

Short answer would be a layer of protection thats easily available and accessible. On closer inspection, that protection is minimal, but could prove vital.

Would be comparative to wearing shin pads for airsoft - 99.9% of the time would be no use at best and very few people would wear them, but the one time you volley a tree root you would be glad you did wear them.

 

[Druid799]

Again, this is not to discuss what the mouthguard is mainly used for.

But to understand why people that use mouthguards in airsoft only protect the top teeth.

BUT I’d argue the point that this is an essential part of the discussion of there use in Airsoft as so many players simply don’t know what there actually designed for and are using them under the misconception that gumshields will protect all there teeth when in fact it won’t ?  

 

[Tactical Pith Helmet]

The only people I know that wear them do actually box.  They are used to shutting their mouths when stressed/competing, and also obviously own the things.  

Personally, I would only consider wearing the blasted thing for the same reason that you run with one in, to learn to ignore it and breath hard naturally despite the big lump of plastic partially closing your airways.  

Why people people who don't know how they actually work wear them is, as Druid says, a different thing altogether.  

 

[Skara]

Again, this is not to discuss what the mouthguard is mainly used for.

But to understand why people that use mouthguards in airsoft only protect the top teeth.

The bottom teeth are covered by the bottom lip, that's why.

It's much more likely to get a tooth knocked off the top.

 

[Druid799]

The bottom teeth are covered by the bottom lip, that's why.

It's much more likely to get a tooth knocked off the top.

Very true , but I think that’s more to do with the bottom lip being much thicker than the top and the bottom teeth are so much more smaller than the top teeth hence there the bigger target ? Have only seen bottom teeth partially taken out once , was in the FIBUA village up at SENTA and guy was shouting to his team mates to watch the 1st floor windows of a building when someone lent out and fired down and hit his centre lower teeth(rather ironic to say the least !)and cracked big chunks off of two of them .

 

[Skara]

Very true , but I think that’s more to do with the bottom lip being much thicker than the top and the bottom teeth are so much more smaller than the top teeth hence there the bigger target ? Have only seen bottom teeth partially taken out once , was in the FIBUA village up at SENTA and guy was shouting to his team mates to watch the 1st floor windows of a building when someone lent out and fired down and hit his centre lower teeth(rather ironic to say the least !)and cracked big chunks off of two of them .

Yup.

All the teeth I've seen explode (including mine) were upper teeth because when shouting/breathing/whatever they are the ones without any cover from the lips.