Choosing Football Mouthguard Based on Position

As one of the heaviest contact sports out there, there’s little debate as to the effectiveness or safety value of mouthguards for football players. Mouthguards are an absolute must for any athlete playing football at any age, regardless of any additional factors.

At Damage Control Mouthguards, we’re happy to offer a huge variety of football mouthguards and other custom sport mouthguards to meet your every need. While all football players require a mouthguard for safety, the specific needs here may vary significantly depending on which position you play. Here are a few important factors to keep in mind when it comes to football position and mouthguard selection, plus a couple related variables to consider.

Communication Positions

As anyone who has played football can tell you, there are a few positions that need to be able to communicate regularly with teammates on the field. The most well-known position here, of course, is the quarterback – but this category also includes other skill players like wide receivers, plus centers who communicate with the QB and linebackers who are in charge of calling out defensive assignments.

For all such individuals, the ability to communicate while also staying safe is key. They must be able to speak clearly so they can be heard on a large field. Ideally, players in these positions will look for mouthguards with a thin frontal profile, meaning there is limited material at the front to help maintain communication – but protection of the upper and lower jaw areas is not compromised at all.

Linemen and Heavy Hitters

For other players, such as linemen and defensive players who don’t call out coverages as often, the primary goal for a mouthguard will be purely protection. Such players often are involved in more collisions than others during the course of a game.

As such, they should look for mouthguards with additional protection under the molar surface. This protection does not make the mouthguard too bulky or uncomfortable, but brings extra cushioning to the entire jaw during any impact.

Braces Issues

No matter which position you or your child plays, one of the toughest issues here is finding an ideal mouthguard for a player with braces. There are many mouthguard styles designed with braces in mind, but these are generally very bulky and may be uncomfortable, especially for those who have to communicate on the field.

For this reason, those with braces should only be considering custom mouthguards. Custom options will be fit directly to your mouth structure, including any braces type. Many will come with specific channels meant to fit over brackets and wires without impacting them negatively.

For more on choosing the ideal football mouthguard based on position, or to learn about any of our custom sport mouthguards, speak to the staff at Damage Control Mouthguards today.