title: The effect of mouthguard design on respiratory function in athletes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that 2 types of custom-made mouthguards will have no effect on ventilation (.V(E), L·min⁻¹), oxygen uptake (.VO₂, mL·kg⁻¹·min·⁻¹), and heart rate (beats per minutes) at varying exercise intensities (10 km·h⁻¹ and 12 km·h⁻¹) and at subjective maximal effort (.VO₂peak) in male field hockey and water polo players.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized, prospective, crossover study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Physiology Testing Laboratory, School of Sports Science, Exercise and Health at the University of Western Australia, a tertiary educational institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven male team-sport athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Each athlete participated in 3 experimental exercise sessions separated by 1-week intervals. Testing involved a graded exercise test (GXT) performed on a treadmill wearing either a custom laminated mouthguard with normal palatal surface, a custom laminated mouthguard with palatal coverage up to the gingival margin, or no mouthguard. The experimental trials were performed in a random counterbalanced order.
  
  
  METHODS
  .V(E) (L·min⁻¹) and .VO₂ (mL·kg⁻¹·min·⁻¹) were measured during the GXT at intensities that equated to 10 km·h⁻¹, 12 km·h⁻¹ and subjective maximal effort (.VO₂peak).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences between trials for .V(E) (L·min⁻¹) and .VO₂ (mL·kg⁻¹·min·⁻¹) at any of the intensities assessed (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The wearing of 2 different custom-made mouthguards during a GXT did not impair .V(E) or .VO₂ during varying levels of exercise intensity in team sport athletes.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
authors.forename: Dieter P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Gebauer
authors.forename: Raymond A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Wallman
authors.forename: Brian T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Dawson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004867:Equipment Design; D005080:Exercise Test; D006339:Heart Rate; D006688:Hockey; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009064:Mouth Protectors; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation / Q000502:physiology*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D013177:Sports; D055815:Young Adult