The mouthpiece remains a vital component of the football safety gear. The mouth guard can protect the teeth from contact with other players' helmets and face masks. Players often have trouble with cheaply made stock mouthpieces that do not fit properly. According to Sports Dentistry, "this interferes with speech and breathing, making the stock mouth guard the least acceptable and least protective." The boil and bite, allows the user to create a custom fit that does not interfere with breathing or speech. Proper mouthpiece colors include red, blue and black while clear and white mouthpieces are prohibited.
Step 1
Rotate the handle of your kitchen sink to engage the faucet. Hold the small pot under the faucet until it fills up halfway with water. Place the small pot onto one of the small burners of your stove. Rotate the knob of the corresponding burner to the highest level possible.
Step 2
Remove the pot from the burner after the water has started to boil. Lower your boil and bite mouthpiece into the boiling water using the head of a spoon. Remove the mouthpiece from the pot after it has rested in the boiling water for around 15 seconds.
Step 3
Rotate the handle of the sink to allow cold water to flow out of the faucet. Place the spoon and mouthpiece under cold water for a few brief seconds. Lower the mouthpiece into the palm of your hand to ensure it has a warm temperature.
Step 4
Insert the warm mouthpiece into your mouth to cover your top row of teeth. Push the mouthpiece up with your fingers to ensure it fits snugly against your teeth. Bite down on the mouthpiece to allow it to form a protective mold around your teeth.
Step 5
Remove the mouthpiece from your teeth after biting down for around 30 seconds. Place the mouthpiece under cold water to allow the mold of your teeth to harden. Insert the mouthpiece back onto your top row of teeth to guarantee it has a proper fit.
Step 6
During games, fasten the strap of your mouthpiece around the face mask of your helmet. Place the mouthpiece over your upper row of teeth as you take part in game play. Remove the mouthpiece when your team huddles together in between plays or when you walk off of the playing field. A mouthpiece is required equipment from the youth level through college. From the youth level through high school, it must be worn during plays, otherwise it is a 5-yard penalty. The mouthpiece also can be any color except white or clear. It is a 5-yard penalty at the college level. Mouthpieces are not required at the professional level.
Things You'll Need
- Small pot
- Sink
- Stove burner
- Spoon
