Children playing sport are at significantly higher risk of dental injury than adults, and a large proportion of those injuries are preventable. A well-fitted mouthguard is one of the most cost-effective pieces of protective equipment available, yet it remains under-used in youth sport across Surrey and nationally. If your child plays contact or collision sport and doesn’t currently wear one, this is worth reading carefully.
Our children’s dental team in West Byfleet can provide custom-fitted mouthguards for children of all ages, including those currently wearing fixed braces.
Why Children Are Particularly Vulnerable
Children’s permanent front teeth erupt roughly between the ages of six and twelve, and during the early years of eruption those teeth have longer roots, thinner enamel, and greater blood supply than fully mature adult teeth. A traumatic blow during this developmental window can cause complications that wouldn’t affect an older, fully formed tooth in the same way: root resorption, arrested development, discolouration from pulp damage, and in the worst cases, tooth loss requiring a lifetime of restorative management.
Some children also wear fixed orthodontic braces. The brackets and wires increase the risk of soft tissue laceration during a collision, and they complicate the management of any trauma to the teeth. A mouthguard doesn’t eliminate risk, but it substantially reduces it in both categories of injury.
Which Sports Carry the Highest Risk?
Contact sports are the obvious concern, but the risk isn’t limited to them. Some collision sports involve high-velocity projectiles or implements that pose a significant threat even in the absence of deliberate contact.
| Sport | Type of risk | Mouthguard status in England |
|---|---|---|
| Rugby union / league | Direct contact, tackles, scrums | Strongly recommended; mandatory in some age groups |
| Boxing and martial arts | Direct facial impact | Mandatory at all competitive levels |
| Field hockey | Stick impact, ball travelling at high speed | Strongly recommended; mandatory in some competitions |
| Cricket (batting) | Ball impact to face | Helmet and face guard recommended; mouthguard advisable |
| Football | Collision with other players, aerial challenges | Not mandatory; recommended for children |
| Basketball | Elbows, falls | Recommended; not always worn |
| Cycling | Falls, handlebar impact | Advisable; often overlooked |
Custom-Fitted vs Boil-and-Bite: What’s the Difference?
Two types dominate the market for children’s mouthguards. Understanding the difference matters, because they’re not equivalent in the protection they provide.
Boil-and-bite mouthguards are available from sports shops and supermarkets for a few pounds. They’re made from thermoplastic material that softens in hot water, allowing you to press it loosely around your teeth to create a rough impression. They’re better than nothing, particularly for children who lose sports kit regularly or outgrow their equipment quickly. But they’re rarely as retentive, as comfortable, or as consistently protective as a custom appliance, and children frequently remove them during play because they feel cumbersome.
Custom-fitted mouthguards are made from accurate impressions taken at the dental practice. The impressions are sent to a dental laboratory, where a trained technician vacuum-forms a laminated guard precisely to your child’s dentition. The result fits securely, doesn’t shift during contact, allows normal breathing and speech, and can be made in any colour combination your child chooses. In our experience, children who are fitted with a custom guard wear it far more consistently than those with boil-and-bite alternatives, which is ultimately what determines whether any protection is delivered.
How a Custom Mouthguard Is Made
The process takes two appointments. At the first, we take upper and lower impressions using a soft dental putty. These are sent to the laboratory with instructions for the thickness and design. Most children find the impression process straightforward.
At the second appointment, usually around a week later, the finished guard is fitted, checked for occlusion, and adjusted if needed. We show the child how to insert, remove, and clean it, and we discuss when it should be worn.
Worth knowing: custom mouthguards need to be remade periodically as children grow. We’d generally expect a child to need a new guard every one to two years during peak growth phases, and sooner if they have recently lost baby teeth or had orthodontic changes.
Mouthguards and Orthodontic Braces
Children with fixed braces present a particular fitting challenge. Standard mouthguards can’t accommodate the brackets and wires of a brace, and a poorly fitting guard can actually dislodge brackets during sport. That said, this isn’t a reason to avoid a mouthguard; it’s a reason to ensure a properly designed one is provided.
We can take impressions over fixed braces and work with the laboratory to produce a guard that fits around the current brace configuration. Because the brace changes as treatment progresses, this type of guard may need replacing partway through orthodontic treatment. We’ll advise you at each review about whether the fit remains adequate.
But it’s also worth raising the mouthguard question with the treating orthodontist, as they may have specific guidance based on the stage and type of treatment your child is receiving.
What the Evidence Says
Dental trauma during sport is well-documented as a significant cause of tooth loss and long-term dental cost in young people. The British Dental Association has long advocated for routine mouthguard use in contact sport, and NHS guidance on children’s dental health highlights sports trauma as one of the more common causes of emergency dental visits in children.
The economics are clear too. A custom-fitted mouthguard costs a fraction of what it takes to treat a knocked-out or fractured permanent tooth, particularly when you account for the years of ongoing restoration that may follow a significant childhood dental injury.
Getting a Mouthguard for Your Child in West Byfleet
If your child plays any sport that carries a risk of facial contact, we’d encourage you to make a mouthguard appointment ahead of the coming season rather than after the first incident. Coniston Dental Practice provides private children’s dentistry and custom mouthguards in West Byfleet. Call us on 01932 343675 to arrange an appointment, and we’ll make sure your child is protected before they next take the field.
