New Orleans Saints Mouthpiece: Pure Power Mouthpiece Shown on MNF

by Jon Azpiri | November 2, 2009 at 09:15 pm

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During the Monday Night Football game between the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons, ESPN announcer Jon Gruden talked about what could be the Saints' secret weapon: Pure Power Mouthguards. Gruden talked about how many New Orleans Saints players wear a special mouthpiece that is designed to improve balance and flexibility.

The Pure Power Mouthguard is made by Makkar Advantage and are generally used by athletes. The mouthguards need to be adjusted by dentists with experience in neuromuscular dentistry, a field that explores the relationship between jaw alignment and the rest of the body.

According to many neuromuscular dentists, proper alignment of the jaw can unleash all manner of health benefits, including increased flexibility and strength. Mouthpieces such as the Pure Power Mouthpiece are being used by NFL players and athletes in other sports.

So does the New Orleans Mouthpiece actually work? While the jury is still out, there is some question about whether such mouthguards actually do anything, other than act as a placebo.

Frankly, there is no proof. To date, no published independent study has verified the positive effects of the Pure Power Mouthguard. There is only the, admittedly sizeable, body of anecdotal evidence. However, the backers of the Pure Power Mouthguard have claimed that a study is forthcoming in July. They claim that the study was performed by Tufts University, with associated support from Harvard. They are also out in force, critiquing blogs that even imply that their product is not effective. They may even comment on this piece.

On the other hand, there is proof that similar appliances, also touted with similar claims, show no difference from placebos. At least three studies over the past 25 years have cast doubt on the effectiveness of orthotic appliances as performance enhancers