MMA fighting has risen in popularity over the last decade.
The likes of Conor Mcgregor and Ronda Rousey are two of MMA’s biggest stars and they have sparked new life into the sport. MMA is a full contact sport notorious for its intensity and brutality.
MMA has a high injury rate, the injury rate amongst fighters is estimated at 23%, this is higher than other full contact sports such as judo, taekwondo and boxing. Over 66% of MMA injuries are head injuries, of those head injuries 59% are dental related injuries.
One quick look at the injury statistics of MMA fighting and it is clear why mouthguards are a must have protective item for all MMA fighters. Besides the statistics let’s take a further look at why it is important for MMA fighters to wear mouthguards.
Dental protection
Repeated contact to an MMA fighters face can lead to serious dental injuries.
During a fight it is common for a fighter to get punched and/or kicked in the face, this contact will more often than not lead to severe dental injuries if a well fitted mouthguard isn’t used.
Dental injuries are painful, repeated trips to the dentist are also painful and uncomfortable. Dental services are also expensive, repeated dental injuries due to MMA fighting can become very expensive if you don’t have serious dental insurance.
A high-quality mouthguard won’t just save the teeth of a MMA fighter, it will also save them a substantial amount of money in the long run.
Protection against oral injuries
Repeated blows to a MMA fighter’s head can lead to serious oral injuries if a well fitted quality mouthguard isn’t worn.
A punch or a kick that hits the jaw area of a fighter can cause the fighters teeth to cut into the inside of the fighter’s mouth. Cuts to the inside of the mouth are painful and if not treated could lead to serious damage.
A high-quality mouthguard won’t just protect against cuts, it will also protect the fighters jaw. High impact blows to a fighter’s jaw area can cause serious oral injury, luckily the use of a mouthguard reduces the risk of oral injuries drastically.
Dental application protection
People that wear dental applications like braces need to take extra caution to ensure the protection of both the application and their mouth and teeth.
One blow to the mouth of a person that wears braces can lead to serious damage and injury. A good mouthguard is a must for MMA fighters, but if you do have a dental application then it is important to have the best mouthguard on the market in order to protect both the application and your mouth/teeth.
MMA is a full contact sport and injuries are unavoidable, but oral and dental injuries can be avoided or limited by using a well fitted high quality mouthguard. Don’t wait until after injury to go the extra mile to protect your mouth and teeth, in this case rather safe than sorry is definitely the best approach to have.