The impact of mouthguards usage on aerobic capacity of athletes

Introduction
The use of intraoral mouthguards is the basic method of preventing injuries of the stomato­gnathic system while practicing extreme, contact, team and recreational sports. However, the presence of a protective splint in the mouth, especially during exercise, when increased oxygen uptake is needed, may adversely affect the level of blood oxygenation. It is also necessary to compare different types of splint as they differ in retention, size and comfort of usage.

Objectives
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of different intraoral mouthguard types for the cardiorespiratory capacity of athletes.

Material and methods
Thirty athletes aged 20-37, testing a total of 120 intraoral mouthguards of different types – two custom-made mouthguards prepared and two “boil and bite” splints adapted – took part in the study, in which cardiorespiratory capacity was compared using CRF, IF, METs and Watt indicators, based on tests conducted on the Fitmate device correlated with a stationary exercise bike.

Results
The analysis of variance showed no differences between the compared parameters regardless of the tested mouthguard. The use of intraoral mouthguards during exercise does not affect the cardiorespiratory endurance of athletes.

Conclusions
Mouthguards users, trainers and doctors should be informed about the lack of a negative impact of its usage during training and competition on cardio-respiratory endurance.