What states mandate mouthguards?
On a national level all states generally mandate mouthguard use in high school football, ice hockey, men’s lacrosse, field hockey, and amateur boxing. Different states have mandated mouthguard use for other sports. The state of Maine mandated the use of mouthguards in all school based soccer activities in 1999. Michigan and Utah have mandated mouthguard use in basketball. Minnesota increased mouthguard mandates in 1993 to include wrestling, soccer, and basketball. This ambitious attempt proved unsuccessful and all of these mandates were rescinded. For your individual state, it would be advisable to contact the state agency that sets the rules for all high school competition. • How do I go about getting my state to mandate mouthguards? Experience has taught that mouthguard mandates are poorly received, difficult to implement, and very unpopular. The unfortunate experience of Minnesota in 1993 is a model that is instructive to us all. If mandates are to be successful, several groups must
