Sports accidents account for up to 39% of all dental injuries in children. It is also interesting to note that children are most susceptible to dental injuries between the ages of 7-11 years of age. 1 In a study carried out in the West of Ireland, they found that 1 in 10 children had suffered a sports accident in the previous year, of which 51% injured their teeth. The majority of sports related dental injuries involve the upper front teeth. Children usually get these teeth (maxillary central and lateral incisors) between the ages of 7 to 9 years of age, even though some kids can start getting their permanent upper front teeth a little earlier. The lifelong cost of a single knocked out tooth is thought to be €18000, with the average cost of a single emergency visit at €214.23. So, prevention is definitely better than the cure! Mouthguards distribute the impact of a blow evenly throughout the mouth – therefore lessening the chances of dental injury. In order for a mouthguard to work effectively it has to be in position at the time of the blow. This is why retention (ability to stay on the teeth) and accurate fit is very important. Custom-made mouth guards are individually moulded to fit the child’s teeth, and as a result, are able to stay in place better. Unfortunately there is no way of completely preventing dental injuries. Some studies have shown that even with a mouthguard in place, mouth injuries can still occur. However, the risk of children getting dental injuries during sport can be minimised by using a mouthguard. Studies have shown that mouthguard users had significantly lower rates of dental injuries when compared to non-mouthguard users.

There are 3 main different types of mouthguards, called: 1. Custom-made: A custom-made mouthguard is one that is made by your dentist following an impression of your child’s teeth and is fitted by your dentist. 2. Mouth-formed – also known as “Boil and Bite.” These are store-bought and are made by heating the mouthguard and then biting into them. These mouthguards vary greatly in protection, retention, comfort and cost. 3. Stock Mouthguards: These are designed to be used without any modification and are held in place by clenching the teeth together. Clenching these in place can interfere with breathing and speaking.

A custom-made mouthguard.

1. Custom-made mouthguards are superior in retention (ability to stay on the teeth) protection and comfort. 2. The Academy of Sports Dentistry (ASD) recommends the use of properly fitted mouthguards. It encourages the use of a custom-made mouth guards. 3. In a study that compared custom-made versus boil-and-bite mouthguards, custom-made mouthguards were found to have no detrimental effect on athletic strength and performance and were reported by the athletes as being comfortable and not causing difficulty in breathing. In contrast, boil-and-bite mouthguards did not perform as well and were reported as being uncomfortable and causing breathing difficulties. 4. There are also different types of custom-made mouth guards. The pressure-laminated mouthguards are thought to provide improved fit, comfort and protection.