A mouthguard is one of the cheapest ways to protect teeth, lips and jaw during sport. Here is who needs one, how the three main types differ, how to look after it, and exactly what to do in the first minutes after a tooth is knocked out.
Why a Mouthguard Is Worth Wearing
Dental injuries are among the most common injuries in sport, and they tend to happen in an instant: an elbow in basketball, a ball off the bat, a fall from a bike or a scooter. A knocked-out or broken front tooth is not only painful. It can mean years of follow-up treatment, and in a growing child it can affect how the adult tooth develops.
A mouthguard works by absorbing and spreading the force of an impact, and by keeping the lips and cheeks from being cut against the teeth. The evidence that it reduces dental injuries is solid. We would be careful with bigger claims, though: there is no firm proof that a mouthguard prevents concussion, so it should never replace a helmet or other protective equipment where one is required.
Who Should Wear One
The obvious candidates are anyone who plays contact or collision sports such as football, rugby, boxing, martial arts and hockey. But the risk is not limited to those. Basketball, volleyball, handball, gymnastics, skating, cycling and even trampolining all carry a real chance of a blow to the face.
As a rule of thumb, if there is a ball, a bat, another player or a hard surface close to the face, a mouthguard is sensible. Children and teenagers are especially worth protecting, because they are active, still learning to fall safely, and because an injury to a young tooth can have lasting consequences.
Stock, Boil-and-Bite or Custom-Made?
There are three broad types, and the difference between them is mostly about fit, which in turn decides whether the guard actually gets worn.
Stock mouthguards come ready-made and are the cheapest option, but they cannot be adjusted. They are often bulky, make it harder to breathe and speak, and tend to sit loosely, so players take them out. Boil-and-bite guards are softened in hot water and then moulded by biting into them. They fit noticeably better and are a reasonable choice for casual sport, though the fit depends on how carefully the moulding is done and the material can thin out where you bite.
A custom-made mouthguard is produced from an impression or scan of your own teeth. It is thicker where it matters, stays in place without clenching, and is far more comfortable to talk and breathe in. We generally recommend custom guards for regular contact sport, for people with crowns, bridges or implants, and for anyone whose teeth are crowded or protruding.
Mouthguards for Braces and Growing Mouths
Braces make a mouthguard more important, not less, because a blow can drive the brackets into the lip and cheek. A guard designed for braces is shaped to sit over them and leave room for the teeth to keep moving. Please do not wear an ordinary guard moulded before treatment started, as it will no longer fit, and do not wear a removable retainer or an aligner as a substitute.
Children outgrow guards quickly, particularly while their adult teeth are coming through. A guard that is too tight or too loose has stopped doing its job. Check the fit at the start of each season; we are happy to look at it during a routine visit.
Caring for Your Mouthguard
A mouthguard spends time in a warm, damp mouth and then in a sports bag, so it deserves a little attention.
- Rinse it in cool water and brush it gently with a toothbrush after each use. Avoid hot water, which can warp it
- Let it dry, then store it in a ventilated, rigid case rather than loose in a bag or a pocket
- Keep it away from heat, such as a hot car, and away from pets, who find them irresistible
- Replace it if it is cracked, worn thin, torn, or no longer fits snugly
- Bring it to your check-ups so we can look at it alongside your teeth
If a Tooth Is Knocked Out
Even with a guard, accidents happen, and what you do in the first minutes matters a great deal. If an adult tooth is knocked out, find it and pick it up by the crown, the part you normally see, never by the root. If it is dirty, rinse it very briefly with milk or saline, without scrubbing it and without removing any tissue attached to it.
If you can, and the person is calm and alert, gently place it back in the socket and ask them to bite lightly on a clean cloth to hold it there. If that is not possible, keep it moist in milk or inside the cheek, and do not store it in plain tap water. Then come to a dentist straight away: the chances of saving the tooth fall quickly with time. Please do not try to replant a baby tooth, as this can damage the adult tooth underneath.
A tooth that is chipped, loosened or pushed out of position also needs prompt attention, as does any blow to the mouth followed by pain, bleeding or a change in how the teeth meet. A severe head injury, dizziness, vomiting or confusion needs emergency medical care first.
If your child plays sport, or you do, book a visit at our Haifa clinic and we will talk through the right guard for you. And if an accident happens, call us as soon as you can so that we can see you quickly.