How to Fit a Mouthguard? Your Protection From Sports or Training Session

Wearing a mouthguard offers you and your child the best chance of protection against dental injuries that can be sustained during sports matches and practice sessions. Dental injuries are painful and expensive to treat but the good news is that many of them can be avoided or minimised by following the correct safety protocol. The most important thing to remember is that the mouthguard must be fitted correctly for it to offer protection. Let’s take a look at how to fit mouth guards correctly.

What Types Of Mouth Guards Are Available?

Store-Bought Mouth Guards

You can buy a mouth guard off the shelf from most outlets that sell sports equipment. While a store-bought mouthguard may be better than not wearing one at all, custom mouthguards offer you the best level of protection.

Boil And Bite Mouth Guards

You can buy mouth guards to be customised at home. You need to submerge them in hot water and make the necessary adjustments for a good fit.

Custom Mouthguards

Custom mouthguards are the best kind of protection you can get because they are made to measure by your dentist. Your dentist has the most advanced equipment and best understanding of your mouth and teeth to be able to construct custom mouthguards that best serve your interests.

A well-fitting mouthguard should cover your teeth. Most people wear a mouthguard over the top row of teeth, but it is possible to wear one on your lower jaw as well.

Custom mouthguards are believed to protect the wearer against head and jaw injury as well. By creating a cushion to absorb the shock of the impact, custom mouthguards may be able to prevent the impact from travelling up the jaw bone to the skull.

How To Fit Mouthguard Before A Sports Game Or Training Session?

• Make sure your mouth guard is clean and has been washed since the last use.
• Always inspect the mouthguard for signs of damage before each use
• Do not use a damaged mouthguard as it may not protect your mouth and teeth
• Your mouthguard should feel snug but not uncomfortable
• You should be able to speak and breathe freely and the mouthguard should not cause a gag reflex
• The mouthguard should be tasteless and odourless
• Children should get a new custom mouthguard every 12 to 18 months, because of growth and the development of new teeth that need to be protected.
• Custom mouthguards should be at least 4mm in thickness in order to provide optimal protection. This ensures that they can absorb and redistribute any force or trauma exerted on the mouth and teeth, and provide comfortable cushioning if the jaws are forced together.

The best way to get a secure and snug fit is to visit your dentist. Your dentist will take the correct measurements and impressions of your mouth and give you the highest quality safety equipment to protect you during sports and training sessions. 

To find out more about how to fit a mouth guard, it’s best to speak to a professional. Please contact us.

Buderim: (07) 5317 1023
Caloundra: (07) 5315 8076