How the hell can mouth guards be so effective against otherwise serious dental issues, especially in boxing?
In: Biology
They do a few things to protect you
First, they cushion the blow. It’s not quite how hard you get hit that hurts you (especially when talking about brain injuries) but how quickly your head accelerates/decelerates. Think of it this way: if you’re driving 50mph and gently apply the brakes to come to a stop over 60 seconds, the car loses just as much kinetic energy as if you hit a brick wall and stop instantly, but obviously one way of stopping is way more dangerous than the other. The squishy mouthguard acts as “brakes” for your jaw.
They also spread out the force. Without a mouthguard in, your teeth come together at fairly small points, which dramatically increases the pressure applied at those points. Imagine a 5-pound weight just resting in your hand – no big deal, right? Then imagine that 5-pound weight on the end of a sharpened pencil, pressing down into your hand – same amount of force, but way more damaging to your hand. The mouthguard spreads out the impact so that it acts more like the weight just sitting in your hand.
Third, they help keep your jaw mostly closed and better aligned. With a mouthguard in, you’re likely to have your jaw clenched at least a bit. Getting hit with your jaw open is way worse than getting hit with it closed, and the clenching of your muscles helps stabilize the joint.
Latest Answers