Teeth Guard Requirements for a Soccer Goalie

FIFA, which is soccer's world governing body, has many requirements for players' equipment. Soccer players do not commonly wear teeth and mouth guards, so there are few FIFA provisions in this area. Nevertheless, FIFA advises that any player wearing orthodontic braces should strongly consider wearing a mouth guard to protect themselves and opposing players.

  1. FIFA Laws

    • Law 4 of FIFA's laws of the game document — entitled "The Players' Equipment" — opens with a note on safety that mandates no player should wear any item that is "dangerous to himself or another player." To meet this ruling, a player should ensure his teeth guard does not have any sharp edges or metal parts Furthermore, a more recent FIFA ruling details that a player cannot reveal any undergarment carrying its own slogan or advertising. Players should ensure their teeth guard does not violate this decision.

    Things to Consider

    • Although teeth guards are extremely uncommon in soccer, some players - particularly goalkeepers - can elect to wear this protective item. The American Dental Association's statement on athletic mouth guards advises that teeth guards are the "best available protective device for reducing the incidence and severity of sports-related dental injuries." Furthermore, it is possible for goalkeepers not wearing teeth guards to suffer severe injuries, including lacerations to the lips and labial artery and several dental fractures The California Dental Association found that wearing mouth guards prevented over 200,000 sports-related oral injuries in the U.S. in 2009.

    Mouth Guards as Law

    • Many soccer leagues - particularly those that involve participation from children - have introduced a rule requiring players, including goalkeepers, to wear protective mouth guards. Leagues such as the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, or MIAA, mandate that competing players must wear solid, colored teeth guards rather than transparent teeth guard. This ensures that a referee can quickly see the teeth guard in place within the mouth. Furthermore, in the MIAA, any player that removes receive a yellow card by the referee.

    Types of Teeth Guard

    • There are a few different types of mouth guards that soccer goalkeepers can wear. Goalkeepers can invest in an acrylic gel teeth guard that is placed in boiling water before being molded to the shape of his teeth. Dentist and orthodontists can sell a custom-fit teeth guard. Goalkeepers on a budget can purchase mouth guards from any sporting store; mouth guards designed for football, for example, are satisfactory for use in soccer.