Does Your Child Need a Sports Mouthguard? What Parents Should Know
The beginning of a new school year brings plenty of activity. Between school sports, recreational leagues, gym class, and after-school practices, children may spend more time running, jumping, throwing, and competing. Parents usually remember the uniforms, athletic shoes, physicals, and water bottles, but protecting a child’s teeth may not be included on the back-to-school checklist.
Dental injuries don’t happen only during high-contact sports. A collision with another player, a fall onto a hard surface, or contact with a ball or piece of equipment can injure the teeth and surrounding tissues. Basketball, baseball, soccer, gymnastics, biking, skating, and other popular activities can all carry a risk of dental trauma.
A properly fitted mouthguard offers a practical way to protect your child’s smile. It can’t prevent every accident, but it can reduce the incidence and severity of sports-related injuries to the teeth and soft tissues. Understanding when children should wear mouthguards, how to choose the right type, and what to do during a dental emergency can help your family approach the new sports season with greater confidence.
How Common Are Dental Injuries During Youth Sports?
All sports and recreational activities carry some risk of injury. Children may collide with another player, fall on a court or field, make contact with sports equipment, or hit a hard surface. These accidents can damage the teeth, lips, cheeks, tongue, gums, or other facial structures.
According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, baseball and basketball have historically been associated with a high incidence of sports-related dental injuries among children ages 7 to 17. Baseball accounted for the most dental injuries among children ages 7 to 12, while basketball was most frequently associated with these injuries among teens ages 13 to 17.
Those findings remind us that dental trauma isn’t limited to sports such as football or hockey. In basketball, for example, an elbow, collision, or hard fall can injure an athlete’s mouth even though players aren’t wearing helmets or other protective headgear. In baseball or softball, injuries may result from contact with a ball, bat, another player, or the ground.
Children may also experience dental injuries during informal activities. Bicycling, skateboarding, inline skating, and other recreational activities can result in falls or collisions. Whether your child competes at school, participates in a recreational league, or simply enjoys an active afternoon with friends, it’s worth considering how their teeth will be protected.
What Types of Dental Injuries Can Happen During Sports?
A sports-related dental injury can range from a small chip to a tooth being completely knocked out. Even an injury that initially appears minor may need to be examined by a pediatric dentist.
Chipped or Fractured Teeth
A direct impact can chip, crack, or break a tooth. Some fractures affect only the tooth’s outer enamel, while deeper fractures can expose sensitive internal structures. Your child may experience pain, sensitivity, bleeding, or a rough edge where part of the tooth broke away. If you can locate the broken piece, save it and bring it to the dental appointment. A pediatric dentist can evaluate the depth of the fracture, look for additional damage, and determine the appropriate treatment.
Loose or Displaced Teeth
An impact can loosen a tooth without knocking it out. It may also push the tooth forward, backward, sideways, or farther into the gums. Don’t wiggle the tooth to test its movement or try to reposition it yourself. Contact your child’s pediatric dentist promptly for instructions. Treatment will depend on the type of injury and whether the affected tooth is primary or permanent. A professional evaluation is important because the damage may involve the tooth’s root, surrounding bone, or developing permanent tooth.
Knocked-Out Teeth
A tooth that has been completely knocked out requires immediate attention. However, the correct response depends on whether it’s a primary or permanent tooth. A knocked-out primary tooth shouldn’t be placed back into its socket. A knocked-out permanent tooth, on the other hand, may be saved when the correct steps are taken quickly. If you aren’t certain which type of tooth was injured, contact your pediatric dentist immediately rather than making that determination alone.
Injuries to the Soft Tissues
A blow to the face can push the lips, cheeks, or tongue against the teeth, causing cuts and bleeding. A mouthguard provides a protective barrier between the teeth and surrounding soft tissues, which may help reduce the severity of these injuries. Heavy or uncontrolled bleeding requires urgent attention. Your child should also receive immediate medical care if the accident involves difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, a suspected jaw fracture, or other signs of a serious head or facial injury.
Do Kids Need Mouthguards for Sports?
Yes, children should wear a properly fitted mouthguard during sports and recreational activities that carry a risk of falls, collisions, or contact with equipment. Mouthguards can reduce the incidence and severity of injuries to the teeth and surrounding soft tissues, even when a child’s team or league doesn’t require one.
Mouthguards are particularly important during collision, contact, and high-velocity activities. However, parents shouldn’t rely solely on whether a sport is traditionally described as a “contact sport.” Basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, gymnastics, biking, and skating can also expose children to dental injuries.
League requirements generally represent minimum equipment rules. They don’t necessarily account for every child’s individual risk, dental development, previous injuries, or orthodontic treatment. Your pediatric dentist can consider these factors along with the type and frequency of activity to determine whether a mouthguard is recommended.
Which Sports and Activities May Call for a Mouthguard?
The American Dental Association recommends properly fitted mouthguards for sporting and recreational activities with a significant risk of dental or facial injury. This includes many activities beyond those that require mouthguards as part of their official rules.
Children may benefit from mouthguards while participating in:
Football, basketball, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, wrestling, martial arts, or rugby
Baseball, softball, volleyball, gymnastics, or equestrian activities
Bicycling, skateboarding, inline skating, or other activities that involve speed and a risk of falling
Protective equipment is important during practices as well as games. In fact, a child may spend far more time practicing than competing. Keeping the mouthguard with the rest of your child’s gear can make it easier to use consistently throughout the season.
How Does a Sports Mouthguard Protect Your Child’s Teeth?
A mouthguard covers the dental arch considered most vulnerable to injury, which is usually the upper teeth. Its resilient material provides a protective layer that helps absorb and distribute some of the force created by an impact. Wearing a properly fitted mouthguard may reduce the risk or severity of broken, displaced, or knocked-out teeth. It can also separate the teeth from the lips and cheeks, offering added protection against cuts to the soft tissues.
However, a mouthguard can only provide protection when it’s worn. If the appliance feels bulky, falls out, restricts speech, or makes breathing uncomfortable, a child may be less likely to use it consistently. That makes comfort, fit, and retention important considerations when selecting a mouthguard.
Parents may have also heard claims that mouthguards prevent concussions. Current dental guidance supports mouthguards for reducing dental and orofacial injuries, but they shouldn’t be presented as a replacement for helmets or other sport-specific safety equipment. Children should use all recommended protective gear and follow the safety rules established for their activities.
Choosing the Right Sports Mouthguard for Your Child
Sports mouthguards generally fall into three categories. Each option varies in cost, adaptability, comfort, and contact with the teeth.
Stock Mouthguards
Stock mouthguards are preformed and ready to wear. They’re widely available and are usually the least expensive option. However, because they aren’t shaped to an individual child’s mouth, they may fit loosely or feel bulky. A child may need to clench their teeth to hold a loose mouthguard in place. This can make breathing and communication more difficult and may discourage consistent wear.
Boil-and-Bite Mouthguards
Boil-and-bite mouthguards are softened in warm water and molded around the teeth. They offer more adaptability than stock options, but their comfort and retention depend on proper molding. Parents should follow the product instructions carefully. The mouthguard’s fit should also be checked periodically as primary teeth fall out, permanent teeth erupt, and the child’s mouth continues to grow.
Custom-Fitted Mouthguards
A custom-fitted mouthguard is created using an impression or digital scan of the child’s mouth. This allows the appliance to be adapted to the child’s individual teeth and oral structures. A personalized fit can help the mouthguard stay securely in place while allowing the child to breathe and communicate. The design may also account for the child’s dental development, orthodontic needs, and sport. Your pediatric dentist can explain the options and help you decide which type best matches your child’s needs.
Regardless of the type you choose, an effective mouthguard should fit securely, feel comfortable, cover the appropriate teeth, and remain in place without constant clenching. The best mouthguard is one that fits properly and is worn during every practice and game.
Does My Child Need a Special Mouthguard With Braces?
Children with braces may have additional protection needs. A blow to the face can damage orthodontic appliances or push brackets and wires against the lips and cheeks. At the same time, the mouthguard needs to accommodate tooth movement and changes that occur throughout orthodontic treatment.
Before purchasing a mouthguard, ask your child’s pediatric dentist or orthodontist which option is appropriate. Don’t cut, reshape, or otherwise alter protective equipment in a way that could disrupt its fit. An appliance that no longer sits correctly may not provide the intended protection.
Because teeth move during orthodontic treatment, the fit may need to be checked more frequently. Let your child’s dental providers know which activities they participate in so their recommendations can reflect the sport, level of contact, and treatment stage.
When Should a Child’s Mouthguard Be Replaced?
Children’s mouths change considerably as they grow. Primary teeth fall out, permanent teeth erupt, jaws develop, and orthodontic treatment may shift the position of the teeth. A mouthguard that fits at the beginning of one season may not fit correctly by the next.
Check your child’s mouthguard before each new sports season and after significant dental changes. It may need to be replaced if it becomes loose, uncomfortable, torn, thin, distorted, or otherwise damaged. A replacement may also be necessary after a tooth falls out, a permanent tooth erupts, orthodontic treatment changes, or the mouthguard absorbs a significant impact.
Bring the mouthguard to your child’s preventive dental appointments. The pediatric dentist can look at its fit and condition while evaluating your child’s changing smile.
How to Clean and Store a Sports Mouthguard
A mouthguard spends plenty of time in close contact with your child’s teeth and gums, so regular cleaning matters. Establishing a simple routine can also help extend the life of the appliance. Have your child rinse the mouthguard before and after each use and clean it according to the dentist’s or manufacturer’s instructions. Let it dry before placing it in a sturdy, ventilated case. Avoid leaving it in direct sunlight, a hot vehicle, or near another heat source that could distort its shape.
Inspect it regularly for tears, rough areas, holes, or changes in fit. Children should never share mouthguards, even with siblings or teammates. Adding the case to your child’s equipment bag can make the mouthguard as routine as packing athletic shoes, a uniform, or a water bottle.
What Should You Do If Your Child Injures a Tooth During Sports?
First, remain calm and remove your child from the activity. Check for signs of a serious head or facial injury before focusing on the tooth. Seek immediate medical attention for difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, uncontrolled bleeding, suspected jaw fracture, or other concerning symptoms.
If the injury appears limited to the mouth, contact your child’s pediatric dentist promptly. Don’t assume that treatment can wait simply because the tooth remains in place or your child’s discomfort improves. Dental trauma can damage the root, pulp, supporting bone, or nearby teeth without creating obvious external changes.
If a Primary Tooth Is Knocked Out
Don’t try to place a knocked-out primary tooth back into the socket. Replanting it could damage the permanent tooth developing underneath. Contact your child’s pediatric dentist promptly for an evaluation. If you can locate the tooth, save it and bring it with you. Primary tooth injuries still require professional attention because of the close relationship between the roots of primary teeth and the developing permanent teeth.
TheAAPD-endorsed guidelines for primary tooth injuries emphasize that these injuries can require different management from trauma involving permanent teeth. A child’s age, dental development, injury type, and ability to cooperate can all influence treatment.
If a Permanent Tooth Is Knocked Out
A knocked-out permanent tooth is an urgent dental emergency. Handle it only by the crown, which is the part normally visible above the gums. Don’t touch the root. If the tooth is dirty, gently rinse it without scrubbing, scraping, or removing attached tissue. If possible, place the tooth back into its socket promptly and have your child gently hold it in position. Don’t force it into place. If reinsertion isn’t possible or you aren’t comfortable attempting it, keep the tooth moist in milk and contact the dentist immediately.
Never attempt to replant a primary tooth. If you aren’t sure whether the tooth is primary or permanent, call your pediatric dentist for immediate guidance.
If a Tooth Is Chipped, Loose, or Displaced
Locate and save any broken tooth fragments. Don’t wiggle a loose tooth or attempt to straighten a displaced one. You can apply a cold compress to the outside of the face to help with swelling while you contact the dentist. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate follow-up can influence how well an injured tooth heals. Your pediatric dentist will determine the next steps based on the type of injury and the child’s stage of dental development.
Build Dental Injury Prevention Into Your Back-to-School Routine
The beginning of the school year is a good time to make dental protection part of your family’s sports routine. Before practices begin, schedule any overdue preventive visits and tell your child’s dentist which sports or activities they plan to participate in.
Ask whether your child needs a mouthguard and whether an existing one still fits. Pack it with the rest of their equipment, and remind your child to wear it during practices as well as games. Coaches, caregivers, and other responsible adults should also know how to reach you and your child’s dentist if an accident occurs.
A little preparation can make a stressful situation easier to manage. It may also lower your child’s risk of experiencing a preventable dental injury in the first place.
Protect Their Smile Throughout the Sports Season
Sports give children valuable opportunities to move, learn new skills, build confidence, and enjoy time with their teammates. Dental injury prevention doesn’t need to take away from that experience. A properly fitted mouthguard is simply another piece of protective equipment that helps children participate more safely.
Whether your child is heading to the field, court, gym, track, or mat, don’t wait for an accident to think about their teeth. Midtown Pediatric Dentistry can help you determine whether your child needs a sports mouthguard, evaluate its fit, and prepare your family for potential dental emergencies.
Contact our pediatric dental office in Oklahoma City to schedule an appointment and help your child begin the new school sports season with a better-protected smile.
