Do Kids Need Mouthguards? Why Gymnastics and Skating Count Too

Yes, for contact sports and many other activities. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends a well-fitting mouthguard for sport with injury risk. Football, basketball, gymnastics, skating and cycling all appear on its list. A guard cushions a blow to the upper front teeth, lips and cheeks. At JuniorDental, we have gathered the research on type, fit and care below.

Please go easy on yourself if your child resists wearing one. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) cites a study giving children free guards. Only 23.2% wore theirs when needed.

Did you know upper front teeth feature in 50% to 90% of sports-related dental injuries? The AAPD says so in its sports policy. A guard places a cushion between the teeth and the knock. We have organised the advice below by question.

Do kids need a mouthguard for sport?

TL;DR: A mouthguard lowers the risk of sport-related tooth injury, and dental bodies recommend one.

The AAPD notes every sporting activity carries some risk of mouth injury. Falls, collisions, hard surfaces and equipment all play a part. A systematic review the policy cites found 10% to 61% of athletes had dental trauma.

The range is wide because studies differ in sport, age group and location. A 2019 meta-analysis by Fernandes and colleagues pooled studies of contact-sport athletes. Across eight studies, dental trauma affected 7.75% of guard users and 48.31% of non-users.

A stricter analysis of three studies found 7.5% and 59.48%. For the three-study analysis, the authors graded the evidence as moderate quality. The review covered contact-sport athletes, so treat the figures as a guide for children.

A guard lowers the risk without removing it. Injuries to teeth and nearby bone still happen with a guard, the AAPD notes.

Which sports and activities call for a mouthguard?

TL;DR:The ADA lists contact sports and many limited-contact activities, from gymnastics to cycling.

The ADA keeps two lists. The first covers contact sports such as football, basketball, rugby and martial arts. The second holds limited-contact activities, among them gymnastics, skateboarding, cycling and volleyball.

Dental injuries also happen in non-contact and high-speed activities, the ADA says. Its examples are gymnastics and skating. The ADA’s policy covers practice sessions and PE lessons, as well as matches.

What does UAE research say about children’s tooth injuries?

TL;DR:One Ajman study linked most tooth injuries in 12-year-olds to collisions and falls.

Researchers at Ajman University examined 1,008 twelve-year-olds in Ajman public schools for a 2022 study. In total, 9.8% had injured a permanent front tooth. Boys had more injuries than girls, at 15.9% against about 4%.

Collisions caused 53.5% of injuries and falls caused 42.4%. The questionnaire logged sport as the cause for only 1.0%. Home accounted for 58.6% of injuries and school for 25.3%.

Cause and place came from questionnaires. The categories overlap, since a collision may come from play or sport. The authors’ discussion places many injuries during sports activities such as swimming, soccer and running.

The most common injury was an enamel fracture, at 58.7%. Sport’s true share is unclear, and a mouthguard protects during sport only.

The authors recommended supervision during physical activity and mouthguards for contact sports. The numbers describe twelve-year-olds in one emirate, so your child’s picture may differ.

Are some children more likely to injure their front teeth?

TL;DR:Upper front teeth sitting far forward, or poor lip coverage, go with higher injury rates.

Overjet describes how far the upper front teeth sit ahead of the lower ones. The AAPD reports higher injury rates with a larger overjet or poor lip coverage. Its threshold is over 3 mm in baby teeth. For adult teeth, it is over 5 mm.

The Ajman study found the same pattern. Among children with an overjet above 5 mm, 17.7% had injured a front tooth. The figure was 3.1% with a smaller overjet.

Lip coverage showed a similar gap: 18.5% with inadequate coverage and 3.7% with adequate coverage. The AAPD says a dentist may be able to modify the risk.

The AAPD sees potential for early orthodontics to reduce injury severity in adult front teeth. The advice covers an overjet above 3 mm while baby and adult teeth mix.

Interceptive orthodontics for children is one of our services at JuniorDental. If your child’s front teeth sit forward, ask us at the next check-up.

Custom, boil-and-bite or stock: which mouthguard suits a growing child?

TL;DR:Custom guards rank highest for protection, though growing teeth may outgrow one quickly.

A dentist makes a custom guard from an impression of your child’s teeth. The AAPD rates custom guards highest for staying in place, protection and comfort. The ADA calls them the most expensive option, and many consider them most protective.

Boil-and-bite guards come from sports shops and pharmacies. You soften the guard in hot water, then your child bites to shape it. Follow the maker’s instructions, because careless shaping may leave a poor fit.

Athletes use boil-and-bite guards most, says the AAPD, though protection and comfort vary widely. It prefers them to stock guards when no custom guard is available. The ADA says some carry its Seal of Acceptance.

Stock guards arrive ready-made in a limited range of sizes. Your child clenches to hold one in place, which may make breathing and speaking harder. The ADA’s library review calls stock guards the least effective type. During rapid tooth change, a stock guard may be the only option, the AAPD notes.

Here is the catch with growing mouths. Baby teeth fall out, adult teeth arrive and braces move teeth. A custom guard may stop fitting soon after the impression, says the AAPD.

Some dentists use block-out methods to leave room for change. One guard may then last several seasons, the AAPD notes. The ADA’s summary is plain. A guard helps when the child wears it properly during sport.

What changes if my child wears braces?

TL;DR:A knock may damage brackets and injure cheeks, so fit matters more with braces.

The ADA notes a blow to the face could damage brackets or other fixed appliances. A guard also forms a barrier between the braces and the cheeks and lips. Talk to your dentist or orthodontist about the right type.

Many guards cover only the upper teeth. Your dentist or orthodontist may suggest a lower guard if the lower teeth have braces. For a boil-and-bite guard, a dental professional may help with the final moulding.

Take out a removable retainer or appliance before contact sports, the ADA says.

How do I clean a mouthguard, and when do I replace it?

TL;DR:Rinse, wash, dry and replace the guard when it wears or stops fitting.

The ADA’s care tips are short. Rinse the guard before and after each use, or brush it with toothpaste. Wash it regularly in cool, soapy water, then rinse well.

Keep the guard in a sturdy, vented case. The vents let it dry, which keeps bacteria from growing. Never leave it in the sun or in hot water.

Store the case somewhere pets cannot reach it, since some treat guards as chew toys.

Replace a guard at once if it wears, cracks or stops fitting. The ADA pages give no set interval, so ask your dentist. Children and teens may need new guards sooner, because their mouths are still growing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my child need a custom mouthguard, or is a store-bought one enough?

A boil-and-bite guard is a reasonable choice when a custom one is out of reach. The AAPD rates custom guards highest and prefers boil-and-bite to stock. The ADA says other types may protect well with a proper fit and consistent wear. Teeth change fast in childhood, which may shorten a custom guard’s life. Ask your dentist.

Which sports carry the highest risk of dental injury?

No single ranking fits every country, and the data below come from the US. The AAPD cites US emergency room data from 1990 to 2003 on children’s dental injuries. Bicycles top the list of sports products involved. Among US high school athletes, rates were highest in boys’ basketball and girls’ field hockey. The ADA’s list covers many more activities.

Does a sports mouthguard help with teeth grinding too?

Sports mouthguards and night guards do different jobs, says the American Association of Orthodontists. Neither replaces the other. Mayo Clinic notes many children outgrow grinding without treatment. Please ask your dentist before buying any guard for night use. Our guide to children grinding their teeth at night explains the options.

Does a mouthguard protect against concussion?

A mouthguard protects teeth, lips and cheeks, while the concussion evidence stays mixed. The ADA calls the concussion evidence less consistent than the evidence for dental injuries. One review found a modest effect, with a 25% higher concussion risk without a guard. Others found no clear effect. If your child hits their head, seek medical advice whatever they wore.

How long does a child’s mouthguard last?

The ADA pages we checked give no set lifespan for a child’s mouthguard. Ask your dentist when to replace it. Replace a guard at once if it wears, cracks or stops fitting. Children and teens may need new guards sooner because their mouths are still growing. Bring the guard to check-ups, where your dentist checks the fit.

What age do children start wearing a mouthguard?

The ADA and AAPD pages we checked set no minimum age for a mouthguard. The ADA’s MouthHealthy site calls a mouthguard standard equipment from an early age. The trigger is the activity, so mention your child’s sport at the next check-up. Your dentist will advise on fit as baby teeth change.

What if my child’s tooth gets knocked out despite a mouthguard?

Hold a knocked-out permanent tooth by the crown, never the root. The International Association of Dental Traumatology favours replanting it where possible. If replanting is not possible, keep it in milk and see a dentist immediately. Leave a knocked-out baby tooth out, as the guidelines advise against replanting it. Our dental emergency guide explains each step.

Who do I ask about my child’s mouthguard?

Your child’s dentist checks the guard against their sport, teeth and braces.

Last season’s guard may not fit now. New sports, loose teeth and braces all change the answer. Nobody expects you to track it alone.

Does your child play a sport, wear braces or have wobbly teeth? Bring your questions to JuniorDental, a paediatric dentist in Dubai. We will go through your child’s sport, teeth and fit together.

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