If you or your children play sport, protecting your teeth is just as important as protecting the rest of your body. A knock to the face during a game can chip, break or even knock out a tooth in an instant, and dental injuries can be painful, costly and sometimes lasting. A good mouthguard is a simple, comfortable way to guard against this, which is why they’re so strongly recommended for so many sports.
At Sherwood Smiles, we help families across Sherwood, Brisbane stay safe on the field with custom-fitted mouthguards. Here’s a friendly, thorough guide to why mouthguards matter, the difference a custom mouthguard makes, which sports need them, and how to look after them.
What Is a Mouthguard and Why Does It Matter?
A mouthguard is a protective cover worn over the teeth during sport and physical activity. Its job is to cushion and absorb the impact of a knock or fall, helping to protect your teeth, gums, lips and jaw from injury. Without one, a single blow to the mouth can cause serious damage, from chipped and broken teeth to teeth being knocked out entirely, along with cuts to the lips and cheeks.
Dental injuries from sport are surprisingly common, and they can have long-term consequences. A knocked-out or badly broken tooth may need ongoing treatment for years to come, whereas a mouthguard is a small, one-off step that can prevent a lot of pain, cost and inconvenience. For anyone playing a sport with a risk of contact or impact, a well-fitted mouthguard is one of the most valuable pieces of protective gear they can wear.
Which Sports Need a Mouthguard?
Mouthguards are recommended for any sport where there’s a risk of impact to the face, whether from other players, equipment, balls or falls. In Australia, this covers a wide range of popular activities.
Contact sports like rugby, AFL, boxing and martial arts carry an obvious risk, but mouthguards are also strongly recommended for sports such as hockey, basketball, netball, cricket, water polo and skateboarding, where collisions, stray balls, sticks or falls can all cause dental injuries. Even in training and informal games, the risk is still there. As a general rule, if a sport involves any chance of a knock to the mouth, wearing a mouthguard is a smart move. If you’re unsure whether your or your child’s activity warrants one, we’re happy to advise.
Custom Mouthguards Versus Shop-Bought Options
You’ll find ready-made mouthguards in sports shops and pharmacies, so why do dentists so strongly recommend a custom mouthguard instead? It comes down to fit, comfort and protection.
Shop-bought mouthguards come in two main types. Stock mouthguards are pre-formed and ready to wear, but because they aren’t shaped to your mouth, they often fit poorly, feel bulky and offer limited protection. Boil-and-bite versions are softened in hot water and moulded at home, which gives a better fit than stock ones, but still falls short of a professional result. The trouble with a poorly fitting mouthguard is that it can be uncomfortable, can make breathing and talking harder, and may not stay in place or protect properly when it matters most. Some people even stop wearing them because they’re a nuisance.
A custom mouthguard, made by your dentist, is designed specifically for your mouth. We take an impression or scan of your teeth so the mouthguard fits precisely, which makes it far more comfortable, more secure, and better at absorbing and spreading the force of an impact. Because it fits well and feels comfortable, people are much more likely to actually wear it. For reliable protection, a custom mouthguard is well worth it.
Why Fit Makes Such a Difference
The reason fit matters so much comes down to how a mouthguard does its job. When an impact occurs, a well-fitting mouthguard cushions the blow and helps spread the force across the teeth and jaw, rather than letting it concentrate on one spot. A loose or ill-fitting guard can’t do this as effectively, and it may shift out of place at the crucial moment.
A custom mouthguard also allows for the right thickness in the right places, giving good protection without being so bulky that it interferes with breathing or speaking. This balance of protection and comfort is difficult to achieve with a generic product. For children especially, whose mouths are still developing, a properly fitted mouthguard that can be checked and updated as they grow offers real peace of mind.
Looking After Your Mouthguard
A mouthguard is an investment in protecting your smile, so it’s worth caring for it well so it stays hygienic and effective. Looking after it is simple:
- Rinse it before and after use with cool water, and clean it gently to keep it fresh.
- Store it in a sturdy, ventilated case so it stays clean and doesn’t get damaged or lost.
- Keep it away from heat. Hot water, direct sunlight or a hot car can warp the mouthguard and ruin the fit, so keep it cool.
- Check it regularly for signs of wear or damage, and replace it if it becomes worn or no longer fits well.
- Bring it to your dental check-ups so we can make sure it’s still in good condition and fitting properly.
For children and teenagers, keep in mind that as their mouths grow and their adult teeth come through, their mouthguard will need updating to maintain a good fit. We can check this at their regular visits.
It’s also worth having a few spare habits in place so your mouthguard is always ready when you need it. Keeping it in the same spot in your kit bag means it’s less likely to be forgotten on game day, and giving it a quick check at the start of each season helps you catch any wear before it becomes a problem. If your mouthguard ever feels loose, tight or uncomfortable, or shows cracks or thinning, it’s time to have it looked at or replaced. A mouthguard only protects you when it’s in good condition and worn every time, so building it into your routine, just like lacing up your boots, is the best way to make sure it does its job.
The True Cost of Skipping a Mouthguard
It’s easy to think of a custom mouthguard as an optional extra, but it helps to weigh it against what a dental injury can involve. A knocked-out or badly broken tooth isn’t just painful in the moment. It can lead to a series of treatments over the years, from repairs and restorations to more involved work, and in the case of a lost adult tooth, ongoing care to replace it. The time, discomfort and cost of all this can far outweigh the simple step of wearing a mouthguard in the first place.
There’s also the impact on the game and the season to consider. A dental injury can mean time on the sidelines, missed matches, and unexpected trips to the dentist, none of which are much fun for a keen player. For children and teenagers in particular, protecting their developing teeth is well worth it, as damage to young teeth can have lasting effects.
Seen in this light, a custom mouthguard is a small, sensible investment that protects both your smile and your enjoyment of the sport you love. It’s the kind of simple precaution that’s easy to overlook until an injury happens, and much appreciated when it prevents one. If you’re weighing up whether it’s worth it, we’re happy to talk through the protection a custom-fitted mouthguard offers for your particular sport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I really need a custom mouthguard, or will a shop-bought one do?
Shop-bought mouthguards offer some protection, but they often fit poorly and can be uncomfortable. A custom mouthguard fits precisely, is more comfortable, stays in place, and protects better, so people are more likely to wear it consistently.
At what age should children start wearing a mouthguard?
As soon as they start playing sports with a risk of impact to the mouth. Because their mouths are still growing, their mouthguard will need updating over time, which we can check at their regular visits.
How long does a custom mouthguard last?
It depends on wear and, for children, on how much their mouth is growing. Check it regularly for damage and fit, and bring it to your check-ups so we can assess whether it needs replacing.
How do I clean my mouthguard?
Rinse it with cool water before and after use, clean it gently, store it in a ventilated case, and keep it away from heat so it doesn’t warp.
Protect Your Smile With Sherwood Smiles
If you or your children play sport, a custom mouthguard is a simple, worthwhile way to protect your teeth from injury. As a QIP accredited practice, we provide high-quality care you can trust, right here in Sherwood. We look after families from Sherwood, Graceville, Corinda, Oxley and the wider 4075 area, and we’d be glad to help keep your smiles safe.
To arrange a custom mouthguard with a friendly dentist in Sherwood, Brisbane, call us at 07 3379 6881 or book online at www.sherwoodsmiles.com.au. A little protection now can save a lot of trouble later.
