What Does a $25,000 Mouthguard Look Like?

Floyd Mayweather Has a $25,000 Mouthguard

This $25,000 mouthguard is so MONEY…no really, there are REAL $100 bills inside the actual mouthpiece.

We can all get a gander at this millionaire’s $25,000 mouthguard come May 2, 2015 when Floyd “Money” Mayweather takes on Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao in what is being billed as the “Fight of the Century.”

According to celebrity gossip rag, TMZ, the boxer formerly known as Pretty Boy Floyd pays roughly $25,000-a-pop for a custom mouthguard.

Apparently these high-priced custom grill-protectors are the creations of NYC-based dentist Dr. Lee Gause — who also happens to be one of the most famous mouthpiece makers in pro sports.

But how can a mouthguard be worth $25,000?

Apparently Floyd is so money that he often customizes his mouthguards with such extravagances as gold flakes, diamonds, and real $100 bills (sealed inside the mouthguard).

According to TMZ, Dr. Guase often flies out to Las Vegas to customize the fit for “Money” before a fight — and Floyd says the guards he gets from Dr. Gause actually help him breathe better than other mouthpieces.

In Floyd’s words, “My career’s gone on 19 years and I’ve been able to preserve my smile.”

In the sport of boxing mouthguards are a mandatory piece of equipment, which may seem obvious. But what may not seem so obvious is that boxing isn’t even considered as one where the most “mouth-injuries” occur.

What Sports Have the Most Mouth Injuries?

It is estimated by the American Dental Association that mouthguards prevent approximately 200,000 injuries each year in high school and collegiate football alone.

But football isn’t the sport with the most mouth injuries.

“Basketball and baseball are the two biggest mouth-injuring sports,” says Stephen Mitchell, D.M.D., associate professor in the UAB Department of Pediatric Dentistry.

“And the most common injuries we see are broken, displaced or knocked out teeth, and broken jaws.”

So for parents & athletes alike, mouthguards are an obviously important piece of protective equipment – parents certainly don’t want to pay for emergency dental treatments and athletes don’t play the sport with the hope of sitting on the sidelines with an injury to their mouth, teeth, gums, or jaw.

The most important thing is not just having a mouthguard or mouthpiece (or gum shield), but actually wearing it!

What Type of Mouthguard is Best?

Parents need not spend $25,000 on a mouthguard, but that doesn’t mean that boil & bite cheapie off the rack at the local big box sports superstore is the proper alternative either.

As Dr. Mitchell pointed out in the UAB article, a properly fitted mouthguard can significantly reduce the severity of craniofacial injury.

And the only way to get a really properly fitted mouthguard is to get one from your dentist.

There Are Generally Two Types of Mouthguards:

1. Custom-made: Designed by a dentist and made on a cast of your teeth. These cause very little interference with speaking or breathing. They provide the best protection and fit over braces and fixed bridges. They also cost more…but NOT $25,000!
2. Ready-made: Purchased at most sporting goods stores. They are the least expensive, the least effective, and least comfortable. They also tend to make speaking clearly darn near impossible.

Only your dentist can determine the perfect fit which is necessary to ensure your child’s teeth, gums, and jaw are protected when they’re playing sports.

If you’d rather not spend anywhere close to $25,000 on emergency dental work – or worse – do yourself & your athlete a favor, talk to your dentist before your child takes the field.

According to SportsDentistry.com, The National Youth Sports Foundation for the Prevention of Athletic Injuries, Inc. reports these telling statistics:

1. Dental injuries are the most common type or orofacial injury sustained during participation in sports.

2. Victims of total tooth avulsions who do not have teeth properly treated may face lifetime dental costs of $10,000 – $15,000 per tooth.

April is National Oral Facial Protection Month

According to the American Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS), the Spring season brings a flood of patients to emergency rooms & dental offices suffering from head, mouth and facial injuries resulting from sports-related incidents.

National Facial Protection Month is sponsored by the Academy for Sports Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Dental Association, the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and the American Association of Orthodontists.

Together these organizations encourage children and adults to enjoy the pleasures of the season by using common sense and taking the necessary precautions to prevent sports injuries.