A wall of mouthguards at the sports store, and none of the packages mention your child’s wobbly front tooth. Before you pick one, talk it through with us: the sport, the teeth now coming in, any braces, and whether a custom guard or a reviewed retail one makes more sense.
Most parents meet this question in a store aisle. There are stock guards, boil-and-bite guards, guards in team colours, and a dentist somewhere in the background suggesting custom. The labels list ages and sizes. None of them can see your child’s mouth, and that is the gap an appointment fills.
When you come in from Mississauga, bring whatever your child has now, even if it is a cheap one from last year, plus any package you are considering. Mention teeth that are loose or newly in, past knocks to the face, and orthodontic treatment that has started or is coming.
We weigh the options with your child, not around them. A guard they find bulky or hard to talk through will spend the season in a pocket. Their reaction to each choice is part of the answer.
Mouthguards are not one-size decisions, and a guard from last year may already be out of date. Review the choice before the season and again if anything shifts.
Impacts, falls and flying pucks, balls or sticks are not limited to sports with a mouthguard rule. Run through all of your child’s activities with the dentist, including casual ones, and ask how a guard fits with the helmet, face shield and rules already in place.
A guard that slides, needs constant biting to hold, rubs the gums or muffles your child’s voice is not doing its job. Leave the scissors in the drawer and bring it for assessment. Children should feel free to say a guard is not working.
Primary teeth falling out, permanent teeth erupting and braces or other appliances all affect which guard fits and for how long. Share any orthodontic plans so the recommendation allows for them, and ask when the fit should be reviewed.
An impact to the face should be assessed when appropriate even if the guard was in. A mouthguard lowers injury risk; it is not proof the teeth were spared.
Whichever route you take, a sports mouthguard that fits properly helps reduce the risk of injury to teeth, gums, lips and cheeks. The Canadian Dental Association encourages families to consider custom-fitted guards, because a guard that stays seated throughout play is in a better position to help.
No type of guard turns a sport into a safe one. It works alongside a helmet, face protection, good rules and medical assessment after a suspected head injury, and it should never be sold to you as a concussion preventer or a guarantee against dental trauma.
Patient information: Canadian Dental Association — preventing sports-related oral injuries
Rather than trusting the age printed on a package, the clinician looks at your child’s teeth, bite and any appliance. Ask how each option would be checked for fit and what a good fit should feel like. Your child gets a say.
Whatever the choice, your child can practise putting the guard in, taking it out and packing it away in a calm setting. Ask your questions there. Pain or persistent rubbing is something to report, not to push through.
A child’s mouth changes, and any guard may need replacing sooner than you expect. Ask which signs mean a recheck and bring the guard to dental visits. Good value means suitable protection at each stage, not the longest-lasting purchase.
Bring this up well before the season. Timing depends on the option chosen, and an assessment does not mean a custom guard is ready the same day.
We go over the sport, age group, current equipment, earlier injuries and orthodontic plans, and compare against the guard your child has now. If putting things in the mouth is difficult for your child, tell us so we can adapt.
After checking the teeth, bite, eruption and appliances, the clinician walks you through custom and retail choices for your child specifically. Ask about appointments, cost and likely replacement timing before committing to either.
If custom is the choice, records of the teeth are taken using the method the clinician arranges. A strong gag reflex or sensory sensitivity is worth mentioning ahead of time. Ask when to expect the guard and whether a fitting is included.
We check how securely the guard sits, and how your child breathes and talks with it in. Your child practises handling it, and we cover cleaning and storage. Agree on when to return, and what to do after a tear, a new tooth or a change in braces.
Follow the directions for the specific material and design. Many children need a parent to keep the routine going until it becomes automatic.
Rinse and clean the guard as directed using products that suit its material, then let it dry before closing it in a vented case. Avoid heat, including a car left in the sun, as it can change the guard’s shape.
Check periodically for tears, thin or chewed spots, warping and edges that now feel rough. Chewing shortens a guard’s useful life, so encourage your child to wear it as intended. No sharing with friends, and no glue repairs.
Bring the guard to dental appointments and call earlier if it no longer seats comfortably. Erupting teeth, lost teeth, fillings and braces can all alter fit. Age of the guard is a weak guide; how it fits today is what counts.
Patient information: Fraser Health — choosing and caring for sports mouthguards
These cover cost trade-offs, growth, cleaning and lost guards. Expect the fit to need another look as your child grows.
Call our Bronte Street practice to compare sports protection for your child. Bring the guard they use now, any package you are considering, a list of activities, and details of braces or recent dental changes.
The recommended type, fit, turnaround and replacement schedule depend on the individual child. A mouthguard on the day of an injury does not replace an assessment afterwards.
