Improve Your Game - With a Mouthguard?  

- Athletes, golfers especially, are always on the lookout for the next great product that might give them an edge over their competitors. Performance mouthwear, a.k.a mouth guards, are gaining momentum with professional athletes in several sports. Most recently Hunter Mahan received the spotlight after winning the Phoenix Open. “Wearing a custom-made performance mouthguard has increased my strength, power, and heightened my accuracy,” said Mahan shortly after his victory.

How it works

Performance mouthwear is made by a dentist. It covers all of the teeth – upper for contact sports, lower for non-contact sports – and extends over the gums. It allows the jaw to be placed in a more relaxed position, which can cushion a blow that may have otherwise caused a concussion.

Under Armour and Bite Tech

Developed by Minneapolis-based Bite Tech, Inc., performance mouthwear is sold under the Under Armour Brand. These are not your boil and bite mouth guards of years past. Since athletes lose about five million teeth every year, the mouth guard is an essential piece of equipment for any sport. Mouthpieces may not only protect teeth and prevent concussions; recent Bite Tech research shows some types may actually increase athletic performance.

From Warriors to Athletes

“Throughout history, soldiers, warriors, and athletes realized that by preventing their teeth from clenching together with a leather strap or bullet, they were able to gain the edge they needed to get through, or even excel at strenuous or punishing activities,” said Bite Tech founder Jon Kittelsen. “Our technology brings this ancient concept to today’s athletes with a comfortable, safe product from Under Armour.”

According to Bite Tech CEO Bob Molhoek, when athletes exert themselves clenching the jaw is a natural reaction. This teeth-clenching action of the jaw triggers the production and release of the stress hormone cortisol that in turn, produce stress, fatigue and distraction. Performance mouthwear prevents teeth clenching and relieves pressure on the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ. By preventing the excessive production of hormones, the body is able to unlock its full potential.

Catching on with Professionals

According to Bite Tech officials, more than a thousand professional, collegiate and Olympic athletes are already using their performance mouthwear, including: Mahan, Adrian Peterson, Derek Jeter, Ray Allen, Marian Gaborik, and Zach Parise.

“When the game is on the line, I want my body and mind to be one hundred percent in sync; this technology makes that happen for me,” said New York Rangers and NHL all-star Marian Gaborik.

Proven by Science

Though Bite Tech’s mouth guards are not liable to FDA approval, the Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry recently published Bite Tech-funded studies that suggested mouth pieces could improve an athlete’s visual and auditory reaction times. In addition, the company has conducted several years of independent studies at some of the nation’s top universities and research centers, including The Citadel and IMG Academies, which have proven the science behind the Bite Tech technology.

One Catch . . .

The only negative about the Bite Tech performance mouthwear is the price, which ranges from $300-500. Contributing to this price is the fact that Bite Tech mouthguards need to be custom-made by a dentist. If you want to gain an edge on your competition, visit Bitech.com – to find a dentist and get on your way to improved performance today.