Sports Essentials: Have you Checked the Mouthguard?

Who is getting their children ready for the sporting season? Yes, it’s that time of year when children are swapping their bathers for sports kits. There’s a scramble to a) find the kit and b) make sure it fits after the summer’s growth spurt. However, there is one crucial part of your child’s essential sports kit that often gets overlooked: their mouthguard.

Duxton Dental regularly takes calls from panicked parents needing emergency dental treatment for their children after a game and, in most cases, a mouthguard could have prevented the need for dental services.

So, how can you tell whether a mouthguard needs replacing?

The mouthguard is the wrong fit

Just as children grow taller and broader, their mouths grow too. It’s important that you inspect and monitor how comfortable their mouthguard is and that it fits properly. An ill-fitting mouthguard is as good as useless and can lead to your local Christchurch dentists being on speed dial.

Doesn’t cover the parts of the mouth it needs to

When a mouthguard is a good fit it should end between the first and second back teeth and cover some of the gum. This is important, the height of the mouthguard protects the teeth’s roots in case of an impact.

Your child wears an orthodontic brace

Can your child play sport with an orthodontic brace? Absolutely, they just need to have specialist mouth protection; one that is specifically designed as an orthodontic mouthguard. The ‘boil and bite’ variety are not sufficient.

The positions of the teeth move during dental treatment, so a less tight fit is needed to allow the teeth to be aligned by the braces. An orthodontic mouthguard not only protects the teeth, but the orthodontic brace too. Repairing and replacing damaged brackets and wires can be an avoidable dental care cost.

The mouthguard looks worn

Cracks and tears

If the mouthguard has been used for some time, check to see if the material has perished. Cracks and tears caused by chewing or through not being stored properly will be visible. Although high-quality mouthguards can potentially last a long time, their longevity is reliant on being looked after.

It looks out of shape

When a mouthguard can no longer sustain the shape it was moulded to, and it can’t be restored through boiling and re-shaping it, it will have come to the end of its life. It’s best practice to replace a mouthguard at the start of every school year to ensure hygiene and its efficiency.

From around the age of 6 years old, children start to lose their baby teeth which are replaced by adult teeth – teeth that will last them into old age, if they are looked after well. It’s so important that you do everything you can to help protect your children’s teeth when they are playing potentially high-impact sports.

Our Christchurch orthodontics team are more than happy to advise you about the best mouthguards for your child and provide customised orthodontic mouthguards for your sporty brace wearer. Contact us today to book your appointment. We love to see kids smile - for more information on our children's dental services click here to find out why we are passionate about being Christchurch's best Children's dentist!