Racing with a mouth piece?

[Shaun Foutch]

Does anyone race with a mouth piece? I've seen Tomac and some other using them these past few years.

Many years ago, I tried to ride with a football mouth piece. I couldn't get enough air and gave up trying.

Since I've had two root canals for fractured teeth due to crashes, I'm curious who has found something that they can breathe with when your heart rate is through the roof.

 

[David Kumanchik]

I race with a mouth guard that is fairly thick and custom formed to a mold made of my teeth from my dentist office. I can eat (I don't recommend this), Drink from my water pack or a bottle, breath fine and talk (slightly slurred). There is no real obstruction, just an added layer to my upper teeth. Its so comfortable this past weekend I did my practice and then realized I still had it in my mouth when I was helping the AM class start.

I wear it strictly as a preventative measure to reduce the chance of messing up my teeth and prevent possible grinding (I get migraines after the races and it was though maybe clenching/grinding was the cause, but it turns out I wasn't so the migraines are still ongoing). I am not convinced it would stop a serious injury to my teeth and it only covers my top teeth, but I am sure it would reduce the severity especially in cases where your jaw gets slammed closed. It is basically just a very soft sheet of plastic that is vacuum formed to a mold of your teeth.

Some disclaimers:
This is all coming from a guy who also wears ear plugs when riding to reduce the noise level slightly so I might not need a hearing aid when I am old.
My mother is a dental hygienist and my sister a dental assistant at another place at the time and she is the one who got me the mold of my upper teeth and two guards made at no cost. Make sure they give you the mold they used to make the guard so you can get more made anytime (until your teeth shift too much).

 

[Mark Ernst]

Good decision David. If the products are there to help protect use, I think it's foolish not to use it.

I tried wearing ear plugs with my dirtbike but they kept falling out. I always wear them while street riding.

I was at the Daytona Flat Track TT and was reminded of the cruiser crowd who choose to dress like pirates with scarves on their head and leather jackets and chaps but won't protect their head or hearing?

 

[Guenter Sommer]

Dust Masks

More importantly .... a race like this past weekend, the Dade City Duster, a dust mask will serve you well. Mine turned out black on the outside and basically white on the inside after 3 laps .. I can only imagine what every one's lungs looked like.

 

[David Kumanchik]

More importantly .... a race like this past weekend, the Dade City Duster, a dust mask will serve you well. Mine turned out black on the outside and basically white on the inside after 3 laps .. I can only imagine what every one's lungs looked like.

I tried this during practice last year but it was too hot under the mask for me personally. It is worth trying for anyone thinking about it.

Mouth guard update: it may have prevented harm to my teeth at Dade City Twister. I took a good hit to the upper lip from a branch (all my fault, I blew out a corner and then kept going). It also broke my goggles such that they just fell off my helmet a few minutes later. My lip got swollen and I look like the Joker on one side. My gums are slightly sore but no tooth pain. The inside of my upper lip did get a small cut from the edge of the mouth guard but I think it was a great protection for my teeth.

 

[Greg Melka]

ya'll should be wearing one. Teeth are expensive. Can help with concussion too. yes, almost all pros wear em. Why ? they are smart. Be smart ..
I've tried a bunch. best all around i found, is shock docor "gel max. $10 or so on ebay or other sites. lots of colors available.

allows easy breathing through mouth if needed, as your teeth are held apart a tiny bit. Don't get the one with a strap, you just drool on yourself, and makes it tough to use a hydration pack bite valve (this is easily done by the way). 90 seconds in boiling water, bite down and hold for a while.. done. Get 2 or 3 so you always have one when ya need it.

 

[Shaun Foutch]

Greg,

I'm a huge mouth breather, so will this stay in place with no restriction? I've tried a football mouth piece and couldn't get enough air...

 

[Daniel Wallace]

I'm a huge proponent of mouth guards - I like the Shock Doctor design. You can buy it for about $25 and it's the cheapest piece of safety gear you can buy. Yes, it takes a little getting used to, but the safety benefits are worth teaching an old dog new tricks. The Shock Dr's do have a little air gap in the teeth that's better than the really cheap football guards. You can still breathe through it although it is still more restrictive than no guard.

Most pro road racers use them. Supposedly they help with concussions because it keeps your jaw slamming against your skull. Certainly they help with broken teeth. I've had some pretty fast crashes (100+mph) with tumbling and I really feel like the mouth guard and a good helmet saved me from more harm.

Just my $0.02.

 

[Greg Melka]

Greg,

I'm a huge mouth breather, so will this stay in place with no restriction? I've tried a football mouth piece and couldn't get enough air...

yes, stays in place. It's form fitting once you boil-n-bite. Again, this specific design from shock dr., has ridges that do NOT form fit to the bottom teeth, so it won't stick to those. Only sticks up top. AND, those ridges spread the jaw open a few mm, and has a channel in front, allowing you to breath through your mouth .. Worth a shot for sure. I tried a few.

Daniel above uses same, but i've never paid that much for em. Ebay and you will find it for $12 or so i think. "Shock doctor gel max"