Protect your teeth with a mouthguard
Sporting accidents are one of the most common causes of dental injury. Every year thousands of people are treated for dental injuries that could have been avoided or minimised by wearing a protective, custom-fitted mouthguard.
FAQs related to mouthguards
Q. Why do you need a mouthguard?
Knocked out or broken teeth, broken jaws and cut lips can be sustained when playing sport.
Wearing a custom-fitted mouthguard helps to absorb and spread the impact of a blow to your face, which might otherwise result in an injury to your mouth or jaw.
Any dental injury can be painful and disfiguring, and may involve lengthy and complex dental treatment. The cost of an injury to your teeth or jaw far exceeds the cost of a custom-fitted mouthguard.
Q. When should I wear a mouthguard?
Custom-fitted mouthguards should be worn whilst playing and training for any sport where there is a possibility of contact to the face. These sports can include rugby union, rugby league, AFL, martial arts, hockey, netball, baseball, basketball and even skateboarding and skiing.
Q. What type of mouthguard should I get?
There are many types of mouthguards available in Australia, ranging from cheap, over-the-counter types to professionally custom-fitted mouthguards.
The Australian Dental Association (ADA) strongly recommends wearing a custom-fitted mouthguard to ensure maximum protection.
Custom-fitted mouthguards
Custom-fitted mouthguards are made by your dentist, who takes an impression and creates a plaster model of your teeth. Custom-fitting allows your dentist to accurately assess your mouth and provide the best fitting mouthguard that is most appropriate for you.
As a result custom-fitted mouth guards are
• Comfortable
• Well-fitting
• Allows you to speak clearly
• Won’t shift or fall out
• Won’t restrict your breathing
Over-the-counter (boil and bite) mouthguards
Over-the-counter mouthguards are far less effective than those that are custom-fitted. These mouthguards include stock mouthguards that do not require fitting, and mouthguards that can be placed in hot water and then self-fitted by biting into the mould.
Q. How long will my mouthguard last?
It is important to have your mouthguard assessed by your dentist at your regular dental check-up to ensure it still fits correctly for maximum protection.
You may need a replacement if your new, secondary adult teeth have come through or if your mouthguard has been damaged.
Other mouthguard tips
• The Australian Dental Association strongly recommends investing in a custom-fitted mouthguard from your dentist.
• Keep your mouthguard clean and store it in a rigid container, away from heat to ensure it maintains its shape.
Owning a mouth guard does not need to be a costly exercise. If you have private health cover you may be able to claim a portion of the cost to purchase and fit a mouthguard, leaving the same gap as if you had purchased from a retailer.