Wrestling at the Olympic Games and wrestling on TV in the form of the WWE vary greatly. Olympic wrestling focuses on the art of wrestling and the wrestlers’ ability to outmaneuver his or her opponent whereas WWE wrestling is entertainment-based performance theatre.
Wrestling at the Olympics and the WWE is different, one thing both have in common though is the possibility of injury and more specifically facial and dental injuries.
Mouthguards aren’t compulsory for wrestlers unless the wrestler has braces or any other orthodontic application. Braces aside let’s look at why it is a good idea for all wrestlers to wear a mouthguard.
3 reasons why every wrestler should wear a mouthguard
1. Protection against injury
Some might argue that wrestlers are at low risk of getting punched or bumped in the face and others might say that the WWE is acting and therefore mouthguards are not necessary but this outlook can’t be further away from the truth.
Yes, you won’t see a wrestler at the Olympics throw a punch, but due to the high speeds of some wrestling manoeuvres, an elbow or knee to the face at a high speed can happen in the blink of an eye.
For WWE wrestlers the risk of injury is just as real, it might be that their punches are staged but a slight miscalculation could result in a damaging blow to the face or mouth.
Mouthguards can protect wrestlers against injury as a result of blows to the jaw, in addition to protecting your teeth mouthguards also protect your jaw as well as the soft tissue on the inside of your mouth.
The argument for all traditional wrestlers to wear a mouthguard is a simple one, however, it is a different story when it comes to WWE. WWE is based on the principles of drama and blood and mouthguards will get in the way of that.
2. Peace of mind
Wrestlers are skilled individuals but even for the best of the best, the thought of injury isn’t very appealing. Dislocated shoulders and other wrestling-related injuries can’t be avoided but dental and facial injuries can with the help of a good mouthguard.
Wrestling takes exceptional skill and concentration and wrestlers can’t afford to be distracted by random fears of getting an elbow or knee to the jaw. With a good mouthguard, these concerns will be eliminated and once on the mat, the only focus will be on the opponent in the opposite corner.
3. The price of dental and oral care
By now it should be very clear that there are countless reasons as to why wrestlers should wear a mouthguard, but if you aren’t convinced yet the price of dental care or reconstruction of a broken tooth as a result of wrestling should sway your opinion.
Dental and oral care is very expensive and unpleasant, I don’t know many people that enjoy a trip to the dentist. All of this can be avoided by using a good mouthguard.
