Mouthguards

Wear one every session. Not just for hard sparring — every session, however light it is meant to be.

Muay Thai is full contact, mistakes happen when people are tired, and teeth do not grow back. A mouthguard is the cheapest insurance in the sport, and the only piece of protective equipment where the downside of skipping it is permanent.

It is not only about your teeth

A mouthguard absorbs and spreads the force of a shot to the jaw, which reduces the risk of a concussion as well as a dental bill. It also protects the soft tissue — the tongue, the inside of the cheeks, the lips — which is where most sparring injuries actually happen.

Fit changes how you breathe

This is the part people underestimate.

A badly fitted mouthguard sits wrong, forces your jaw open slightly, and interferes with your breathing. Breathing is the first thing to go when you are tired — and a guard that is fighting you in round one will be costing you rounds by round four.

A properly moulded guard should be tight enough to stay in place without you clenching, and comfortable enough that you forget it is there.

Boil and bite, done properly

Almost everything worth buying is boil-and-bite, and it works — as long as you actually do it properly rather than rushing it in the changing room.

• Boil water and take it off the heat. Follow the timing on the packet exactly — too long and the guard turns to mush.
• Drop the guard in, then move it straight into cold water for a second or two so it does not burn you.
• Bite down firmly and evenly, then suck in hard to pull the material against your teeth and gums.
• Push it into the front of your teeth with your fingers and tongue while it is still soft.
• Drop it into cold water to set.

If it does not come out right, most guards can be re-boiled and refitted. Do it again rather than training in a bad one.

When to replace it

• It has lost its shape, or no longer holds without you biting down
• It is cracked, torn or chewed through
• It has taken a genuinely hard shot in a fight
• You are a growing child — your mouth has changed since you fitted it

Looking after it

Rinse it after every session and let it dry properly before it goes back in the case. Never leave it loose in the bottom of a kit bag — it will pick up everything in there, and heat will deform it.

And keep it out of a hot car. A mouthguard left on a dashboard in summer will come back a different shape.