Do You Have to Wear a Mouthguard in Basketball?

If you’re a physically active individual, you’ll know right away how dangerous contact sports can be, especially when it comes to your teeth and mouth.

Engaging in sport of any kind is always going to be risky, yet it has to be said that some sports are more serious and riskier than others, particularly when it comes to the risk of a dental injury. When participating in sport of any kind, the last thing you want is to sustain an injury to your mouth as this puts you at risk of chipped teeth, broken teeth, or even having your teeth knocked out.

Now, when we think of mouthguards in sport, sports such as boxing and MMA instantly spring to mind because they’re so physical. But what about sports such as basketball, which technically are not contact sports. Do you have to wear a mouthguard in basketball? Well, let’s take a look.

Mouthguards in basketball

We’ll answer the question of whether you have to wear a mouthguard in basketball a little later on, but first, let’s look at the use of mouthguards in basketball.

Mouthguards are commonly associated with boxing and martial arts, but what about basketball? Well, in basketball, despite mouthguards being more popular lately, the truth of the matter is that they are considered an emerging trend.

As of right now, the NBA (National Basketball Association) does not mandate the use of them, though who knows what the future may hold? There are strict guidelines for players that do choose to wear them, however, and we’ll get to that a little later on.

The importance of mouthguards in basketball

Despite the fact that mouthguards are not yet mandatory in the NBA for basketball players, mouthguards are still very popular amongst keen ballers.

Basketball is not a contact sport, yet there have been countless incidents in the past, where basketball players have sustained dental/oral injuries during a game, which would have been avoided by wearing a mouthguard.

One study found that just under 40% of semi-professional basketball players sustained a dental injury during practice.

Reasons to wear a mouthguard during basketball

1. Protect the teeth

A broken/cracked/chipped tooth can be very painful and can also put a person at risk of infection, plus it can affect the gums and/or the jaw.

Wearing a mouthguard during basketball means that your teeth, gums, tongue, and mouth are protected during a game.

2. Discreet and comfortable

Because sport mouthguards are now so popular, companies such as Dental Armour have been able to create innovative, high spec mouthguards that are not only discreet when worn, but are also very comfortable.

These mouthguards do not negatively impact a person’s breathing at all, and they’re also comfortable so they won’t interfere with play.

3. Customisable

Another neat thing about mouthguards for basketball is the fact that they are customisable so you can have them built to different specs, plus you can get them in different colours so you can get ones which match your team colours when playing.

Do NBA players wear mouthguards?

Okay, so do you have to wear a mouthguard in basketball? Well, we’ve already answered that. With that said however, if NBA players do wear mouthguards, there are specific rules they must abide by.

When wearing mouthguards, they must be a solid colour, so white, black, clear, or the primary colour of the player’s particular team. Not only that, but the only logos permitted on the mouthguard are the team’s logo.

Some NBA players do wear mouthguards, though statistically, players are less likely to wear them, even with dental injuries in basketball now so common.

Do NBL players wear mouthguards?

We’ve looked at NBA players, but what about National Basketball League (NBL) players and mouthguards?

Well, like the NBA, the use of mouthguards is not mandatory. Mouthguards are, however, permitted during NBL games, providing they are non-coloured transparent mouthguards.

Grab your custom mouthguard for basketball today

It is strongly recommended that basketball players wear mouthguards in order to avoid losing teeth, damaging their teeth, or hurting their mouths.

Here at Dental Armour, we offer a selection of custom sports mouthguards suitable for a wide range of sports, including basketball. Offering tri-layer lamination, low and high impact options, aesthetic designs, and a comfortable fit, it’s easy to see why Dental Armour custom mouthguards for basketball players are proving so popular.

Get in touch with our friendly team for more information or book your mouthguard impression online today.