Is it time to make Mouthguards compulsory for rugby players?

[crossref]

Mine has widespread support for 'highly recommended' ............. but the mum who drops her 14 yr old off at training, lad marches across to middle of pitch in the pissing rain & wind on a February night as mum zips off in car to do the weekly shopping, Oh no, I've forgot my gum shield ..... " sit out over there lad, I know you'll get pneumonia, but you'll have safe teeth to chatter on route ! Q? I wonder why the RFU don't make it mandatory? & whilst we're chatting, why doesn't your club go a step further & make it mandatory for headguards & shoulder pads as well? :chin:

yes that happens.
the 14 year old either
- phone his mum 'fetch my mouthguard'
- buys a new mouthguard
or sits out the contact part of the training (they can go to clubhouse if it's cold)

Honestly - that's what happens and it just doesn't cause a problem. It's just not an issue.

 

[TheBFG]

but I support your right to make a choice.

and surely it should be the right of the parents to make that choice too?

at our club they are encouraged, but it's the choice of the parents to enforce it if they wish little Jonny to wear one!

 

[Rushforth]

Its a shame, I was enjoying this forum. Time for a break I think.

Felk, take a break, but realise that you can ignore individuals. Click on their name, top left, and there are a number of options.

As to your rant - and it is a rant - I agree with you, having had the same experience over entirely different issues.

As to teeth: I too had both centre incisors chipped off before I even started playing rugby. As a player, I wore a gum-shield 95% of the time, but was not scared to play without if I couldn't find it. Perhaps because I wasn't scared of breaking a tooth. Not scared, just "I'd rather not".

My unique (or perhaps not) position is that "highly recommended, but not compulsory" is a good compromise.

 

[crossref]

and surely it should be the right of the parents to make that choice too?

at our club they are encouraged, but it's the choice of the parents to enforce it if they wish little Jonny to wear one!

well, I don't set the policy.

I don't know: hypothetically if the parents of a 9 year old told the club that they didn't want him to wear a mouthguard - then what would we do?
If it was a medical reason then I am sure that would be fine, but if it was a simple refusal... I don't know.. so far as i know this has never happened so it's not tested.

 

[crossref]

As an aside : if mouthguards were made compulsory I think the logic would be not be to protect players teeth, but to protect other players from teeth - one of my friends once had to dig a tooth out of someone's scalp after a collision ... not nice!

having your skin pierced by someone else's teeth isn't great - susceptible to infection blood poisoning etc.

 

[Browner]

oh for goodness sake, felt, that's a bit over-sensitive ?

IMO it IS idiotic to play rugby without a mouthguard, and it's hardly very offensive to say so, is it?
but I support your right to make a choice.

but as you were offended: I am happy to say I am sorry I called you an idiot.

I thought Crossref's words had a hint humour in them. Crikey, if I removed everyone who'd fired back a spikey blunt or semi-sarcastic reply then i'd likely never correspond with OB, DaveT, Didds, Dixie, Waspy, Rantie , not exhaustive ........ & in no order! I just think of them as a 'twernt' for that microsecond, and then move on. Eventually they redeem themselves more often than not

 

[Browner]

As an aside : if mouthguards were made compulsory I think the logic would be not be to protect players teeth, but to protect other players from teeth - one of my friends once had to dig a tooth out of someone's scalp after a collision ... not nice!

having your skin pierced by someone else's teeth isn't great - susceptible to infection blood poisoning etc.

Photograph & cite him for biting, where's RobLev the lawyer, gotta be worth £1500!

 

[winchesterref]

From playing rugby at the age of 9 up to, well still playing the odd game at 44, I have never taken to the pitch sans mouthguard. Not a single, solitary game.

Me neither, not one.

 

[SimonSmith]

As an aside : if mouthguards were made compulsory I think the logic would be not be to protect players teeth, but to protect other players from teeth - one of my friends once had to dig a tooth out of someone's scalp after a collision ... not nice!

having your skin pierced by someone else's teeth isn't great - susceptible to infection blood poisoning etc.

this^

I wore a mouthguard from the moment I started. Mind, Mum had played hockey to a senior level so was well aware of the risks of sport.

I don't know that it saved my teeth at all. But I do wish that the little twat who bit my forearm badly enough to leave a scar had been wearing one. It would have a) saved my forearm and b) I wouldn't have barked my knuckles quite so badly when I banjaxed him.

 

[Ewanvj]

Well this proved a controversial topic!

In terms of the practicalities of enforcing such a rule, we will have to see how the GAA get on, Gaelic football is massive in Ireland and I will play close attention to how they manage the rule change.

In terms of stretching the rule to shoulder pads etc. this point seems moot in that the injuries occured through not wearing shoulder pads tend to last up to 6 weeks and be of no cost to repair. Dental injuries can be permanent and extremely costly. Also the risk of concussion is a very real and very dangerous one.

 

[crossref]

NB the GAA rule applies to age-group football, not adults. the case for making it mandatory for kids is much stronger than for adults.

http://www.gaa.ie/medical-and-player-welfare/mouthguards/mouthguard-press-release/
http://www.gaa.ie/medical-and-player-welfare/mouthguards/

 

[Browner]

NB the GAA rule applies to age-group football, not adults. the case for making it mandatory for kids is much stronger than for adults.

http://www.gaa.ie/medical-and-player-welfare/mouthguards/mouthguard-press-release/
http://www.gaa.ie/medical-and-player-welfare/mouthguards/

"Ireland has one of the highest rates of sport-related oral injuries in the EU" correlation because of GAA?

 

[didds]

I thought Crossref's words had a hint humour in them. Crikey, if I removed everyone who'd fired back a spikey blunt or semi-sarcastic reply then i'd likely never correspond with ... Didds

Moi?

Shurely Shome Mishtake! ;-)

didds

 

[didds]

Ok - my 2p.

Our club's junior section has a mandatory gumshield requirement. I have yet to start a session (i float as a coach) and find all players with one. Clearly for other coaches this requirement goes along with the "no adults on bosh bags" rules and is ignored. I have put players to one side if they don;t have them - not my problem. If the weather is atrocious and no responsible adult is availbale the club house is available (child welfare issues covered there etc).

AIUI....

Yes, GS do protect teeth, to lesser or greater extents.

Yes, they do also protect against concussion - IF it is a dental fitted shiedl (the Opro upper end self fitted ones etc also claim to protect for this)

But the BIGGEST benefit IMO of GS is that they protect other players' SCALPS and FACES and BODIES from errant and non-covered teeth. Opro have some pretty grizzly photos of scalped players caused by other's teeth ripping the skin open.

And non contact forms of the game are still potentially likely to have all the above required... just because its not a "planned" contact area doesn't mean accidental contact never happens.

didds

 

[Phil E]

Can't wear one, they make me gag.
If they had been compulsory I would never have played and never have become a referee.
I have also never lost any teeth or hurt anyone else with mine!

 

[damo]

We have a public insurance system, so you can imagine our rules are a little different to countries which don't.

In NZ, the wearing of a mouthguard is compulsory at all levels below Super Rugby. The only exception is where you can produce a doctor's certificate indicating you can't wear one. Compliance is pretty good, not perfect by any means.

 

[Not Kurt Weaver]

Me thinks the idea that Gumshields prevent concussions has become urban legend. I believed this myth until spoke with my childs ortho and confirmed that he also believed that myth until he read up on it in dental journals.

Another tooth in my head is a concern. So is biting from others.

But my biggest surprise is that haven't been any cracks on dental appearance of select countrypeers of many on this site.

 

[didds]

We have a public insurance system, so you can imagine our rules are a little different to countries which don't.

In NZ, the wearing of a mouthguard is compulsory at all levels below Super Rugby. The only exception is where you can produce a doctor's certificate indicating you can't wear one. Compliance is pretty good, not perfect by any means.

do you know what the implications/repercussions are for those that do not wear them, and for non-adult rugby if this has implicatioonms etc for the coaching staff etc?

cheers

didds

 

[Blackberry]

I cycle and don't wear a helmet. This is because I've looked into the facts and there is a trade off, its partly because wearing a helmet might make you less aware or give you a false sense of security. In essence, the jury is split.

But with gum shields, is there a major downside? I am trying to think of (non-medical) reasons why a player might choose not to wear one, any ideas?

 

[damo]

do you know what the implications/repercussions are for those that do not wear them, and for non-adult rugby if this has implicatioonms etc for the coaching staff etc?

cheers

didds

Good question, and one that I can't really answer. I believe there are consequences for clubs in terms of an increase in ACC (the govt operated insurer) levys they have to pay if players are injured after not following the instructions. I know that there is also a song and dance at the beginning of the season that ACC won't cover players if you injure your mouth whilst not wearing a mouthguard, but I believe that this is not true.

Ian or someone associated with a club might be better placed to assist with this as I don't really know the answers.