Sporting injuries such as chipped, cracked or knocked-out teeth, cut lips and broken jaws can be prevented or minimised by wearing a mouthguard, but not all mouthguards offer the same level of protection.
Organisations like the Australian Dental Association (ADA) recommend that kids, teenagers and adults should wear a custom-fitted mouthguard provided by their dentist, rather than a boil-and-bite mouthguard sold over the counter.
Who needs a mouthguard?
You or your child should wear a mouthguard during any activities that put your teeth or jaws at risk of injury from contact with other players, impact with balls and sports equipment or falling over. This includes:
- contact sports like rugby, AFL, hockey and boxing
- ball sports like cricket, basketball/netball and soccer
- other outdoor sports like mountain biking and skateboarding
It's just as important to wear a mouthguard during training as it is during the match.
While a mouthguard won't protect you from accidents, it can reduce the severity of injuries and trauma to your mouth and jaw. This could help you to avoid pain and the need for expensive dental treatments or surgery.
Store-bought mouthguard
Mouthguards are available from many chemists and sports shops in two forms: solid mouthguards in a range of standard sizes and 'boil-and-bite' mouthguards that need to be softened using warm water and mould to the wearer's teeth.
These mouthguards are cheaper than custom mouthguards, but as they're not individually made, they don't offer the same level of shock resistance to teeth and jaws. They may also feel uncomfortable to wear, can affect your speech and can sometimes make it harder to breathe, which can affect athletic performance.
While any mouthguard is better than no protection at all, a poorly-fitted mouthguard could become a choking hazard if it gets dislodged in an impact and trapped in the throat.
Custom-fitted mouthguard
A custom mouthguard is designed to fit precisely over your teeth, offering a higher level of protection, feeling more comfortable to wear and being less likely to come loose. It won't affect your speech or breathing in the same way a store-bought mouthguard can, so athletic performance won't normally be affected.
A personalised mouthguard costs more than one bought from a store, but it lowers your risk of needing dental treatments or surgery that could run up thousands of dollars.
Having your mouthguard fitted
Only a dental professional can fit a custom mouthguard. They'll take an impression of your child's teeth that's used to make an accurate plaster model of their mouth. This is sent to a dental laboratory where their unique mouthguard will be manufactured.
When the mouthguard's ready, your child's dentist will check that it fits properly and tell them how to care for it to keep it in good condition.
As mouthguards are a preventive treatment, they're usually covered by health funds that include dental cover. Kids' mouthguards in Australia are covered by the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS).
Looking after your mouthguard
Kids' mouthguards can usually last for several seasons before they need to be replaced, unless they get damaged. You can help a mouthguard last longer by:
- washing it after every use in cold water
- storing it on the model cast provided by your dentist
- keeping it out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources
Bring along your child's mouthguard when they have their regular check-ups so their dentist can check its condition and replace it when needed.
Custom mouthguard in Brisbane CBD
If you or your child needs a mouthguard, talk to our friendly team at Face Value Dental. Call (07) 3221 0677 or make an appointment online at a time that's good for you.
References
Australian Dental Association. Mouthguards [Online] 2017 [Accessed June 2019] Available from: https://www.ada.org.au/Your-Dental-Health/Teens-12-17/Mouthguards
Australian Dental Association. Play it Safe: Wear a mouthguard [Online] 2016 [Accessed June 2019] Available from: https://www.ada.org.au/getattachment/Your-Dental-Health/Resources-for-Professionals/Resources-for-Teens-12-17/Play-it-safe-wear-a-mouthguard/Play-it-safe,-wear-a-mouthguard.pdf.aspx