A couple of years have passed since we did our last review of the Best Rugby Mouthguards so we decided a refresher was due in 2021. The most important bit of kit for any school boy or girl rugby player: the gum shield not only protects your teeth and gums, it can reduce damage around the jaw and your chance of concussion. We come in all shapes and sizes so choosing the best rugby gum shield for you (or your child), is critical.

There are two main gum shield options: a custom-fit dentist mouthguard or a boil and bite gum shield. However some companies like Opro have invested heavily into replicating the quality and fit of a dentist mouthguard with their hybrid models. But Opro’s 420 mouthguard listings on Amazon can give consumers, choice overload – so what is THE BEST GUM SHIELD? Let’s dive straight in.

Custom Option (OPRO Power-Fit Gum Shield) £20-30

UK: Opro UK Custom Pro Gum Shield

US: Opro US Custom Pro Gum Shield 

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What OPRO have achieved with their patented Power-Fit Gum Shield is a triumph and is our number one recommendation. It’s got a €/$/£20,000 dental warranty and comes in youth, teen and adult sizes which is a must for children. The gum shield’s fitting fins allow for teeth indentations, the overall structure gives great cushioning and offers the best protection of any widely sold mouthguard on the market.

From a safety perspective, this is the full package. Opro’s “power cage” makes for easy gum shield moulding and the full dentist experience. This means less gagging and a cleaner, better-fitting mouthguard. Here’s an instructional video showing the moulding process

You can expect the gum shield after fitting to look something like the below with clear teeth indentations and an accurate jaw replica which isn’t too long at the back to avoid that horrible gagging feeling.

Rating

ADVANTAGES: comfort, fit, able to speak whilst wearing, looks natural, many designs, doesn’t fall out, lasts for life.

DISADVANTAGES: more costly (£20-30 depending on size/design)

UK: Opro UK Custom Pro Gum Shield US: Opro US Custom Pro Gum Shield 

Best Rugby Mouthguard for Braces £15

UK: Rugby Gum Shield for Braces UK

US: Rugby Mouth Guard for Braces

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This is the best rugby mouthguard for braces. Opro designed the gum shield with bumpers to give a little more room that can fit around braces. The big sell here is that the mouthguard is remoldable as and when your teeth begin to move. It offers the same gold standard Opro-level protection including a £15,000 Dental Warranty. Fitting is easy and is the best rugby mouthguard option for the year or two that braces have to be worn.

TIP: For those due to get braces or retainers off, mould your mouthguard ASAP after removal. That way it’ll be the perfect mould of your straightest teeth. We would also recommend buying a new Power-Fit gum shield once the braces come off instead of just remoulding the Gold Braces model because the inner channel space is no longer needed.

Rating

ADVANTAGES: the go-to option for braces, comfort, fit, doesn’t fall out, lasts for tenure of braces.

DISADVANTAGES: Only Opro’s gold tier comfort/protection (no power-cage).

UK: Rugby Gum Shield for Braces UK US: Rugby Mouth Guard for Braces

Affordable option (Bite & Boil gum shield) £5

UK : Affordable Optimum Matrix Mouth Guard

US: Opro Affordable ‘Boil & Bite’ Mouth Guard

Another option is the standard, multipurpose bite and boil mouthguard. These are inexpensive and perhaps do the job for short-term players or children who only need it a couple of times a year for PE. Generally the bite and boil gum shields tend to be too long at the back for kids so it will likely be worth cutting the back off with scissors after boiling to stop the awful gagging feeling.

Generally, the image (Left) shows the kind of fit that can be obtained from a boil and bite mouthguard. On occasion, slight teeth indentations can be made but on the whole, usually they only fit the shape of the jaw.

Rating

ADVANTAGES: Price, variety of colours, quick, no hassle, for short term players, inexpensive, replaceable.

DISADVANTAGES: Less comfortable, won’t last for life, thick plastic gives a pursed lips look, can fall out if not moulded well, thicker plastic usually.

UK : Affordable Optimum Matrix Mouth Guard US: Opro Affordable ‘Boil & Bite’ Mouth Guard

Some food for thought

It’s worth remembering that a gumshield is an investment in health and safety. With concussions and safety in rugby becoming a hot topic, mouthguards are proving to be the number one protector: as most are caused by the teeth and jaw crunching together suddenly. A quality mouthguard cushions the impact, reducing the chance of concussion.

What separates a good quality mouth guard from a cheap mouthguard:

• You can still talk and be understood with mouthguard in.
• You aren’t gagging from the long excess bits of plastic on the end of a boil and bite.
• It’s thinner – Your lips don’t look permanently puffy
• It’ll last longer Teeth indentations mean it won’t constantly fall out as soon as you open your mouth
• Despite covering a wide spectrum of teeth Boil & bite’s can’t cater to all shapes of mouths and jaws. A One size fits all, won’t fit a u10 jaw as it will a 40 y/o veteran of the game.

A good quality mouthguard doesn’t come cheap but divided by the number of countless times you will wear it to train and play, times by all the years you will play for, it’s easily worth it – get one sooner rather than later.

Opro are the official mouthguard of the England Rugby, GB Hockey, UFC, New Zealand Rugby & USA Wrestling and most of our recommendations use their brand. Having said that, if you are looking for a cheap bite & boil piece of plastic, any brand will do.