Kids talk, shout and gulp for air when they play. A mouthguard that gets in the way of any of that will soon be left on the bench. We look at fit, breathing and speech along with your child’s sport and changing teeth, so the guard can stay in when it counts.
Watch a game closely and you’ll see guards popping out every time a child yells for a pass or catches their breath after a sprint. It is a common complaint. If a mouthguard muffles speech or makes breathing feel tight, children tend to pull it out at exactly the moments they are moving fastest.
A visit is a good chance to test that. Bring the guard your child uses and ask them to talk with it in. We want to know about the sport, any baby teeth lost or adult teeth arriving lately, past injuries to the mouth, and braces or appliances that are on now or planned.
Your child is the best judge of how it feels mid-game. Encourage them to describe it plainly: too thick at the back, loose when they open wide, hard to drink around. For households in Erin, collecting those notes before the trip helps one appointment go further.
Last year’s guard may now crowd the mouth or slip at the wrong time. Review it before the season, and report problems as soon as your child mentions them.
Hockey, soccer, lacrosse and basketball mix contact with constant communication, while biking and skating bring falls. Run through your child’s activities with the dentist, and ask how a guard sits alongside their helmet, face protection and the rules of play.
If your child can’t be understood, feels short of breath, or has to bite down to keep the guard from falling out, it needs a fit review. Please don’t shave it down yourself. Children should feel comfortable raising these problems.
When primary teeth are lost, permanent teeth erupt or braces move teeth, the guard may start to feel bulky or loose. Tell the clinician about planned orthodontic steps, and ask how the guard should allow for them and when it needs a fresh look.
A blow to the mouth can call for an assessment even when a guard was worn. It helps lower the risk of injury but cannot confirm everything is fine.
When a sports mouthguard fits properly, it helps reduce injury to the teeth and the soft tissues around them. The Canadian Dental Association encourages families to consider custom-fitted guards. A guard that stays seated while your child breathes hard and talks is far more likely to be in place during a collision.
Even a well-fitted guard is only one safeguard. It doesn’t replace a helmet, face protection, safe play or a medical check after a possible head injury, and you shouldn’t be told it prevents concussion or guarantees against dental injury.
Patient information: Canadian Dental Association — preventing sports-related oral injuries
The clinician considers your child’s teeth, bite and any appliance, not just an age on a box, and pays attention to how they breathe and speak with the guard in. Ask what a good fit should feel like, and let your child describe theirs.
During a calm try-on, your child can practise talking, drinking water and taking the guard in and out. Ask questions about anything that feels awkward. Ongoing trouble with speech or breathing should be reported, not tolerated.
A guard that allows easy breathing now may feel crowded later. Ask which changes should bring you back, and bring the guard to dental visits so fit and function can be reviewed together.
Book before the season if you can. Timing depends on the type of guard, and an assessment does not mean the finished guard is ready that day.
Tell us the sport, level, current equipment, earlier injuries and orthodontic plans, and what your child finds hard about the guard. Bring it along. If your child has trouble tolerating things in the mouth, mention it.
The clinician looks at the teeth, bite, eruption and appliances, and explains how custom and retail guards might differ for your child’s breathing, speech and fit. Ask about visits, cost and replacement before deciding.
If a custom guard is chosen, records of the teeth are taken using the method arranged by the clinician. Tell us about a strong gag or sensory concerns ahead of time. Ask how long it will take and whether there is a fitting visit.
At delivery, we check retention and ask your child to talk, breathe deeply and sip water with the guard in place. They practise handling it, and we explain cleaning and storage. Settle on a review date and on which changes, such as a tear or erupting tooth, mean calling early.
Use the care instructions for your child’s particular guard. A parent may need to oversee the routine until it becomes second nature.
Clean the guard after each use as directed, with products suited to its material. Let it dry fully and store it in a vented protective case. Heat can warp it, so keep it out of hot cars and away from heaters.
Look for splits, worn spots, warping and sharp edges, which can affect comfort and speech. Chewing on the bench shortens a guard’s life, so encourage proper wear. Keep it personal, and don’t glue a damaged one.
Bring the guard to dental appointments, and call sooner if it starts to feel bulky, loose or harder to talk through. Lost and new teeth, restorations and braces can all play a part. Current fit matters more than age.
Patient information: Fraser Health — choosing and caring for sports mouthguards
Families ask about speech, breathing, drinking, comfort and lost guards. A fit review often helps with more than one.
Call our Bronte Street practice to arrange a mouthguard visit. Bring the guard your child uses, a list of their activities, and any information about braces or recent dental changes.
Guard type, comfort, fit, making time and replacement are discussed one child at a time. A dental injury needs checking even with a guard in.
