The effect of mouthguard use on ventilatory response to submaximal exercise

Marsh, CE; Manders, J

Abstract

Mouthguards are used in a number of sporting activities to help protect against dental damage. Despite
the protective benefits of wearing a mouthguard, it is
possible that their use may impair oral breathing
during exercise, and some sports persons may
avoid their use due to the perception of obstructed
breathing. Therefore, the purpose of this study was
to investigate the effect of wearing a mouthguard on
pulmonary ventilation (VE), oxygen uptake (O2) and
ventilatory equivalent for oxygen (VE/O2) at 50%
and 75% of O2max .
Six participants (mean ± s: age 20.7 ± 0.52 years,
weight 79.6 ± 17.43 kg, height 177.6 ± 10.09 cm)
participated in the study. The experimental protocol
was granted approval by the local ethics committee.
Each completed a treadmill exercise test to assess
maximal oxygen uptake (O2max ), followed by two
incremental treadmill tests using 10 min stages at
intensities corresponding to 50% and 75% O2max ,
performed once wearing a mouthguard (MG) and
once without (NMG) in a randomised order.
Participants wore a nose occluded respiratory mask
(7900 series, Hans-Rudolph, Shawnee, KS, USA)
while expired gases were collected and analysed
using breath–by-breath on-line gas analysis, and
data was examined utilising paired sample t-tests.
Results: Results showed that means for MG compared to NMG were no different at either 50% or
75% O2max for VE (P = 0.415, P = 0.122; effect size:
0.05, 0.26, respectively), O2 (P = 0.366, P = 0.893;
effect size: 0.07, 0.02, respectively) or E/O2
(P = 0.825, P = 0.279; effect size: 0.05, 0.61,
respectively).
The results indicate that mouthguard use does not
affect ventilatory parameters and corroborates previous research that they do not negatively influence
ventilation or oxygen uptake (Gebauer et al., 2011;
Rapisura et al., 2010).
Conclusion: The results suggest that using a
mouthguard has no adverse effect on ventilation
or gas exchange during low to moderate exercise. Therefore, athletes apprehensive about mouthguard use potentially hindering breathing can be
reassured that they do not obstruct oral breathing
and should be encouraged to use them in sports
that present a risk of dental injury such as rugby
and hockey.

Citation

Marsh, C., & Manders, J. The effect of mouthguard use on ventilatory response to submaximal exercise. Poster presented at British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) Conference 2013, University of Central Lancashire, United Kingdom

• Presentation Conference Type: Poster
• Conference Name: British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) Conference 2013
• Conference Location: University of Central Lancashire, United Kingdom
• End Date: Sep 5, 2013
• Online Publication Date: Jul 17, 2014
• Publication Date: Jul 17, 2014
• Deposit Date: Jun 12, 2015
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2014.896604
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2014.896604
• Related Public URLs: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rjsp20#.VXgwQqI0XTo
• Additional Information: Access Information : This published poster presentation abstract can be read using the link above.; Event Type : Conference