Does the use of sports mouthguards influence salivary parameters and oral health indices? A systematic review (2025)

Oliveira Werlich M, Honnef LR, Silva Bett JV, Domingos FL, Pauletto P, Dulcineia Mendes de Souza B, Mageste Duque T, Curi Hallal AL, De Luca Canto G. Prevalence of dentofacial injuries in contact sports players: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Dent Traumatol. 2020;36:477–88.

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Polmann H, Melo G, Conti Réus J, Domingos FL, de Souza BDM, Padilha AC, Duque TM, Porporatti AL, Flores-Mir C, De Luca Canto G. Prevalence of dentofacial injuries among combat sports practitioners: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Dent Traumatol. 2020;36:124–40.

Article PubMed Google Scholar

The glossary of prosthodontic terms: ninth edition. J Prosthet Dent. 2017; 117:e1–e105.

Bochnig MS, Oh MJ, Nagel T, Ziegler F, Jost-Brinkmann PG. Comparison of the shock absorption capacities of different mouthguards. Dent Traumatol. 2017;33:205–13.

Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar

Hayashi K, Chowdhury RU, Chowdhury NU, Shrestha A, Pradhan I, Shahrin S, et al. Thickness change and deformation of custom-made mouthguards after two years of use by Bangladeshi field hockey players. Dent Traumatol. 2021;37:617–22.

Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar

FDI World Dental Federation. FDI policy statement on sports dentistry: adopted by the FDI general assembly, September 2016, Poznan, Poland. Int Dent J. 2017;67:18–9.

Article Google Scholar

Tuna EB, Ozel E. Factors affecting sports-related orofacial injuries and the importance of mouthguards. Sports Med. 2014;44:777–83.

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Magno MB, Nadelman P, Leite KLF, Ferreira DM, Pithon MM, Maia LC. Associations and risk factors for dental trauma: a systematic review of systematic reviews. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2020;48:447–63.

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Liew AKC, Abdullah D, Wan Noorina WA, Khoo S. Factors associated with mouthguard use and discontinuation among rugby players in Malaysia. Dent Traumatol. 2014;30:461–67.

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Knapik JJ, Hoedebecke BL, Rogers GG, Sharp MA, Marshall SW. Effectiveness of mouthguards for the prevention of orofacial injuries and concussions in sports: systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2019;49:1217–32.

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Fernandes LM, Neto JCL, Lima TFR, Magno MB, Santiago BM, Cavalcanti YW, de Almeida LFD. The use of mouthguards and prevalence of dento-alveolar trauma among athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Dent Traumatol. 2019;35:54–72.

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Cetinbaş T, Sönmez H. Mouthguard utilization rates during sport activities in Ankara, Turkey. Dent Traumatol. 2006;22:127–32.

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Vucic S, Drost RW, Ongkosuwito EM, Wolvius EB. Dentofacial trauma and players’ attitude towards mouthguard use in field hockey: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2016;50:298–304.

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Gawlak D, Mańka-Malara K, Kamiński T, Łuniewska M, Mierzwińska-Nastalska E. Comparative evaluation of custom and standard boil and bite (self-adapted) mouthguards and their effect on the functioning of the oral cavity. Dent Traumatol. 2016;32:416–20.

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Shokeen B, Viloria E, Duong E, Rizvi M, Murillo G, Mullen J, et al. The impact of fixed orthodontic appliances and clear aligners on the oral microbiome and the association with clinical parameters: a longitudinal comparative study. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2022;161:e475–e85.

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Chiavaroli A, D’Ercole SD, Fulco D, Ferrante C, Orlando G, Recinella L, et al. The use of customized mouthguards during the training produces protective effects on salivary factors of young athletes. Eur J of Paediatr Dent. 2021;22:219–24.

CAS Google Scholar

Ashley P, Di Iorio A, Cole E, Tanday A, Needleman I. Oral health of elite athletes and association with performance: a systematic review. Br J Sports Med. 2015;49:14–9.

Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar

Opazo-García C, Moya-Salazar J, Chicoma-Flores K, Contreras-Pulache H. Oral health problems in high-performance athletes at 2019 Pan American Games in Lima: a descriptive study. BDJ Open. 2021;7:21.

Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar

Zhang Y, Wang X, Li H, Ni C, Du Z, Yan F. Human oral microbiota and its modulation for oral health. Biomed Phatmacother. 2018;99:883–93.

Article Google Scholar

Costalonga M, Herzberg MC. The oral microbiome and the immunobiology of periodontal disease and caries. Immunol Lett. 2014;162:22–38.

Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar

D’Ercole S, Tieri M, Fulco D, Martinelli D, Tripodi D. The use of chlorhexidine in mouthguards. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2017;31:487–93.

PubMed Google Scholar

Ribeiro YJS, Delgado RZR, Paula-Silva FWG, Rematal-Valdes B, Feres MG, Palma-Dibb RG, et al. Sports mouthguards: contamination, roughness, and chlorhexidine for desinfection—a randomized clinical trial. Braz Dent J. 2021;32:66–73.

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Tripodi D, Martinelli D, Ciaravino C, Fulco D, Tieri M, D’Ercole S. The use of casein in sport mouthguards: microbiological and ecological variations in oral cavity. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2018;32:1045–49.

CAS PubMed Google Scholar

Academy for Sports Dentistry. Definition of sports dentistry. 2012. http://www.acadsportsdent.org.

Page MJ, Mckenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, Boutron I, Hoffmann TC, Mulrow CD, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ. 2021:372.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Quality assessment tool for before-after (pre-post) studies with no control group. 2021. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/study-quality-assessment-tools.

Ryan R, Hill S. How to GRADE the quality of the evidence. Cochrane Consumers and Communication Group. 2016. http://cccrg.cochrane.org/author-resources available at Version 3.0 December.

Maeda Y, Yang TC, Miyanaga H, Tanaka Y, Ikebe K, Akimoto N. Mouthguard and sports drinks on tooth surface pH. Int J Sports Med. 2014;35:871–73.

Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar

D’Ercole S, Martinelli D, Tripodi D. Influence of sport mouthguards on the ecological factors of the children oral cavity. BMC Oral Health. 2014;14:97.

Costa MP, Ribeiro-Lages MB, Soares TRC, Magno MB, Maia LC. Global research trends of studies relates to mouthguards and dental injuries in sports activities: a bibliometric analysis. Gen Den. 2023;71:32–40.

Google Scholar

Glass RT, Wood CR, Bullard JW, Conrad RS. Possible disease transmission by contaminated mouthguards in two young football players. Gen Den. 2007;55:436–40.

Google Scholar

Needleman I, Ashley P, Petrie A, Fortune F, Turner W, Jones J, et al. Oral health and impact on performance of athletes participating in the London 2012 Olympic Games: a cross-sectional study. Br J Sports Med. 2013;47:1054–8.

Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar

Dibdin GH, Drawes C. A mathematical model of the influence of salivary urea on the pH of fasted dental plaque and on the changes occurring during a cariogenic challenge. Caries Res. 1998;32:70–74.

Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar

Papacosta E, Nassis GP. Saliva as a tool for monitoring steroid, peptide and immune markers in sport and exercise science. J Sci Med Sport. 2011;14:424–34.

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Giuca MR, Pasini M, Nastasio S, D’Ercole S, Tripodi D. Dental and periodontal complications of labial and tongue piercing. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2012;26:553–60.

CAS PubMed Google Scholar

Frese C, Frese F, Kuhlmann S, Saure D, Reljic D, Staehle HJ, et al. Effect of endurance training on dental erosion, caries, and saliva. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2014;25:319–26.

Google Scholar

Mulic A, Tveit AB, Songe D, Sivertsen H, Skaare AB. Dental erosive wear and salivary flow rate in physically active young adults. BMC Oral Health. 2012;12:8.

Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar

Allgrove JE, Oliveira M, Gleeson M. Stimulating whole saliva affects the response of antimicrobial proteins to exercise. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2014;24:649.

Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar

Glass RT, Conrad RS, Kohler GA, Warren AJ, Bullard JW. Sports health. 2011; 3:244–8.

Al-Moghrabi D, Johal A, O’Rourke N, Donos N, Pandis N, Gonzales-Marin C, et al. Effect of fixed vs removable orthodontic retainers on stability and periodontal health: 4-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2018;154:167–74.

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Bellini-Pereira SA, Castillo AA, Santos CO, Henriques JFC, Janson G, Normando D. Treatment stability with bonded versus vacum-formed retainers: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Eur J Orthod. 2022;44:187–96.

Article PubMed Google Scholar