Best Mouth Guards for Basketball (2021)

Mouth guards are becoming a more and more popular accessory for basketball players around the world.

Every hooper knows how painful catching a loose elbow can be, especially to the mouth, or having to absorb a hard foul when driving to the hoop and a mouth guard can help protect against some of the damage from that.

And it’s not just to protect your mouth/teeth, there are also aesthetic reasons – get a cool designed mouth guard and it can look legit!

Steph Curry, one of the best shooters of all time made the mouth guard famous after tossing it into a crowd during a game and since has used it frequently throughout the years.

It has been proven over and over again that wearing a mouth guard can not only protect your teeth from getting damaged but your brain as well. If you care about protecting all aspects of your health as a player, a good mouth guard is something worth investing in.

Some players worry about not being able to communicate or having the guard being a distraction while they are playing, which is true – it can make talking/being understood a little more difficult

When you buy a mouth guard you should be able to take it in and out easily to overcome this; that’s why many of the mouth guards you will see on this list are lightweight and flexible.

We go into details of our picks for the best basketball mouth guards below, but for a brief overview here are the answers:

Best Overall Mouth Guard: Under Armour Steph Curry Mouth Guard
Best Cheap Mouth Guard: Aiwaying 4-pack
Best Premium Mouth Guard: Shock Doctor “Trash Talker” Guard
Best Extra Protection Mouth Guard: Shock Doctor Max Mouth Guard

Under Armour Steph Curry Mouth Guard – Best Overall Mouth Guard

This Steph Curry Mouth Guard from Under Armour is the same one used by the best shooter in the NBA right now, Steph Curry.

It’s light, east to move around, and most importantly protective. It is microwaveable and boilable to mould to your teeth, as well as being re-fittable and chew resistant.

It will not absorb water and has good lasting power – with a low profile design and dentist-like custom fit.

BUY NOW.

AIWAYING 4-Pack – Best Cheap Mouth Guard

This is definitely an affordable budget option with four mouth guards in a pack.

These Aiwaying mouth guards easily mould to fit any tooth shape or size (for people 12 years or older), they have a thick cushioning base to absorb shock during any impacts, and provide optimal retention and comfort.

Additionally, having four in a pack, means they will make a great gift for teammates too!

BUY NOW.

Shock Doctor “Trash Talker” Guard – Best Premium Mouth Guard

The Shock Doctor ‘Trash Talker’ mouth guard, might be one of the only ones exclusively made just for basketball.

It’s not call trash talker for no reason – it allows you to talk, shout, drink and breathe without needing to remove it, and as it should – is fast fitting with an ability to remould.

Yes, it’s a little more on the pricey end of the market, but if you’re a hooper and want a mouth guard specifically for hoopers, this is the one.

BUY NOW.

Shock Doctor Max Mouth Guard -Best Mouth Guard for Players That Need Extra Protection

This Shock Doctor Max mouth guard is made specifically for high impact sports where you need extra protection.

If you have previously had a mouth/tooth injury that you want to protect, its heavy duty exoskeletal shock frame provides full mouth protection.

It has a gel-fit liner technology to it moulds specifically to your teeth and gums with a boil and bite fit, and integrated breathing channels to make it easy to breathe while wearing.

Crafted using heavy duty material, combined with their ‘Triple Layer Design’ for added protection it is an extremely durable choice.

BUY NOW.

Mouth Guard Sizing Guide

Most of these guards have the options when choosing sizing to put either “Youth” or “Adult” so if you are a younger player be on the look-out for that to ensure you get the right fit.

Also, many of these can be molded to fit the exact proportions of your mouth. This usually involves boiling the guard for a certain amount of time until it softens. The instructions will usually be on the box, but make sure you if you are younger you have an adult with you when dealing with boiling water to do responsibly.

Mouth Guards for Basketball – Final Thoughts

We hope this guide has made it easier for you to find a mouth guard to protect and support you whilst you hoop.

If you decide to buy any, let us know how you get on and which are your favourite purchases, and whilst you’re at it, why not consider a new outdoor basketball, or pair of basketball socks, or an arm sleeve

Do you like our work?

We have a tiny favour to ask. In 2018 we set out to make Hoopsfix sustainable by building our relationship directly with our readers. Up until now, Hoopsfix has been creating editorials, videos and podcasts to provide sorely missing coverage of the British game and its distinct culture and community.

We have funded Hoopsfix with our freelance work creating basketball media, but sadly that means not only does it fall behind our client’s priorities, but some of those clients are the same organisations we need to report objectively on putting us in a conflicted position.

We want to devote more time to our mission of helping British basketball reach its potential, and produce even more content for the basketball community by making Hoopsfix a sustainable 100% independent business funded directly by our readers through Patreon.

If everyone who enjoys our content chose to support us, our future would be much more secure. For as little as $3 per month, you can support Hoopsfix – and it only takes a minute.

We are tremendously honoured and humbled to have a community of people who value what we do, and we look forward to being at the forefront of the British game as it continues to evolve.

Support Hoopsfix