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A mouthguard is protective wear that fits into the mouth and covers the teeth and gums to prevent and reduce levels of harm (injury) to the teeth, arches, lips and gums particularly when playing amateur and professional contact sportsIt may be used for similar impact events such as "bumpy" rides as occurs in some tanks. Mainly, the mouth guards are known as gum shields and they are also used in cricket by the batsmen. They are very helpful and useful in protection.

Mouth protectors or mouth guards or mouth pieces or gumshields) are used in sports where deliberate or accidental impacts (hits, blows, strikes) to the face and jaw may cause harm (injury, disablement) Such harming impacts may occur in martial arts,mixed martial arts, rugby, wrestling, soccer, American football, Australian Rules football, lacrosse, basketball, hockey and boxing. Mouth protectors may also prevent or reduce harm levels of concussion in the event of a blow to the jaw^[1][2].

An early mouthguard was developed in 1890 by Woolf Krause, a London dentist to protect boxers from lip cuts andlacerations The modern mouthguard design started from the work in the 1970s done by Dr. A. W. S. Wood, a Canadian paediatric dentist who was aiming to reduce and prevent harm injuries to children's teeth in hockey games^[3].

A Test Standard for retention and impact has been prepared in 2007 for some mouth protectors and may be available in 2008/2009

In many sports, the rules make their use compulsory ^[4], by local state health laws. Schools also often have rules requiring their use^[5].

There are three types of mouth protectors :

• Stock or ready made Manufactured in a pre-formed shape in various sizes but with nearly no adjustment to fit the user's mouth The only adjustment possible is minor trimming with a knife or scissors. Inexpensive.
• mouth adapted or boil and bite. A thermo-plastic material manufactured in a pre-formed shape in various sizes that can be adapted to fit more closely to an individual's teeth and gums by heating and moulding such as boiling then placing in the mouth. The latest may give a good/very good fit. Inexpensive.
• Custom-made. A dentist's impression of the users teeth is used by specialist manufacturers to create a best-fit mouth protector. Relatively expensive.

These may be used as splints to treat temporomandibular joint disorder and bruxism. A thin, acrylic mouthguard appliance is often used during tooth bleaching.

• Good description of the types available
• "An evaluation of mouthguard requirements and dental injuries in New Zealand rugby union", (registration required) British Journal of Sports Medicine 2005;39:650-651
• "Do mouthguards prevent concussion?", (registration required) British Journal of Sports Medicine 2001; 35:81-82

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