Maine Principals Association Mouth Piece Rule as revised 7-26-2007.
Mouth Pieces
All players shall wear a visible single or multiple colored mouth guard (not clear mouth guards or with stripes) that must cover all upper molars, as well as upper front teeth. Shock mouth guards are acceptable. Mouth guards must be worn in all practices and competitions and are required of all participants at all levels (e.g. freshman, junior varsity and varsity for boys and girls).
Administration
Play will not be stopped immediately for infringement of this rule.
1. Coaches assume the responsibility to make certain that each player is wearing a legal mouth guard.
2. If an official observes a violation prior to the start of the game, the coach will be notified without penalty.
3. During the course of play, if an illegal mouth guard is detected it shall be administered as any other equipment violation. (See Rule 4, Section 3. Note: This means the player is sent off the field, the Coach is given a caution card and the team plays short handed until the next stoppage of play when that player may re-enter the game. That player may not be replaced until the next opportunity to substitute.)
3. 4. Should a player be on the field during the course of play and in the vicinity of the play and not wearing a mouth guard or improperly wearing a mouth guard, the official will caution and send the player off at the next stoppage of play. That player may be substituted.
Some MPA Interpreter's Play rulings:
Situation 1: Player #14 is on a breakaway , dribbling the ball to score; his legal mouthpiece is hanging out of his mouth, according to the rule above when do I send the player off
Answer: The player is in the vicinity of the ball. At the next stoppage of play or dead ball you must send the player off the field and issue a caution card to the player. Remember: "Play shall not be stopped immediately for an infringement of this rule."
Situation 2: You have sent a player off during the course of the game because of an illegal mouth piece or no mouth piece and he or she reports to the assistant referee or your partner that he or she now has legal equipment, can they reenter the game at any time?
Answer: The play must be stopped for some reason; and the player may reenter the game to 'fill out' the eleven players at a stoppage of play. Such reentry should not be a delaying tactic for the defending team.
Situation 3: Team "A" has player #14 being sent off for a illegal mouthpiece violation. Several minutes later, after a legal reentry, you again notice Team "A" #14 is wearing an illegal mouth piece in violation of the mouthpiece rule; does the Coach get a caution card?
Answer: Yes; and a coach may receive a subsequent caution card and ultimately disqualification for this violation.
Make sure the caution card to a coach for illegal equipment is reported to your Board Secretary for reporting to the school's athletic director.