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gum shields

kasaran

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I have seen people just wearing gumshields instead of face masks. Do they work or are they just risking their teeth for a better appearence?

Recently just bought a balaclava so wondering if a gum shield under that would provide me with enough protection.  Though thinking about it, a shot right on the nose would probably not be pleasent.

 
If you Google similar, as I did, you'll find some people got a mesh mask and in essence glued it into the balaclava. Still has the balaclava look but with protection.

 
If you Google similar, as I did, you'll find some people got a mesh mask and in essence glued it into the balaclava. Still has the balaclava look but with protection.


Seen that kind of stuff before. There's even a company that makes a special insert of mesh purely to cover the teeth and lips... Although my memory has failed to locate where i saw it lol.

 
No it won't. Still, if you're not going to be wearing a mask then it's better than nothing I guess.

Gum shields are designed for impact sports, not for being shot at by a high speed projectile. All that will happen is the force from the BB hitting the gum shield will concentrate into a single area instead of being spread out like if your teeth hit each other. 

 
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I wear a gumsheild for wood land and a mesh mask for CQB never had an issue and been shot a few times while using the gum shield.

 
Gum shields are designed stop your teeth from hitting each other and to soften an impact that has mass, like a punch. I grew up playing rugby and contact sports and i can tell you one thing its not 100% protection I've seen people loose/break teeth wearing them. Plus they don't protect your bottom teeth.

So personally i wouldn't risk it when you could get a cheap lower mesh mask that does the job better. yes they look silly but so does the dentist bill for implants.

 
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I used to Box, I know what a Gum shield can do. 

I wear a mesh lower like this, I wouldn't trust a gum shield to protect my teeth because they don't do a great job to be honest . My teeth are battered and I have a loads of lasting damage,

View attachment 31224

 
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I know the risks but at the same time I'm going on personal experience but i would always recommend mesh over gum shield, just saying what I use. I'm lucky to be fully covered dental wise now.

 
I tried every possible way to protect my teeth..

There's no real answer, it's up to you..

At first I didn't use anything, got my tooth shot at point blank by an idiot (shot him once at close range, instead of calling the hit he came up to me and full autoed my face, we both went to the hospital because I've beaten the living sh*t out of him)

bought a neoprene mask: fog and inability to properly speak.

Bought a mesh mask: pushes too much on my nose and glasses still fog

Bought the one-tigris mask: more comfortable than the full mesh one, still I get my glasses fogged up..

Right now I'm using a neck tube to which I'll either glue or sew a piece of mesh and switch to goggles+ot mask for cqb games..

We play with relatively low power so unless you get shot from 2 metres your teeth are most likely to be fine with only a scarf..

 
Form the mesh mask that it sits on your cheeks, not on the nose.

 
I need to cut it around the nose..

I broke my nose when I was 14 in a fight (a guy broke a skateboard on my face), now it's slightly bent to my right and sticks out more..

Mesh masks just can't fit it :P  so as soon as I go to my parents I'll trim both masks and see what happens 

 
I sewed a small square mesh into a thin neck tube that I pull up over my face in a fight but can pull down easy enough if needed. Only problem is that in summer that would be way too hot for me so will prob go back to half face mask. I tried a gum shield once and found it uncomfortable and not particularly reassuring.

 
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