August 25, 2014

Keep Your Young Athlete Safe

There’s nothing I hate more than seeing perfectly good teeth snapped in half or knocked out – which makes me a huge fan of mouth guards for kids playing sports.

I’ve read the statistics – and seen for myself – how properly fitted mouth guards keep kids safe by spreading and lessening the force of impact to the mouth, and protecting not only their teeth but lips and tongues as well.1

But that’s only true if the young athlete is using the right kind of mouth guard in the right situation.

For example, pretty much everyone recognizes the need for mouth guards in contact sports like football and ice hockey. But parents – and sometimes even coaches and schools – often don’t know that injuries to the mouth are just as common (sometimes more so) in other sports like baseball, soccer and basketball.2

So thousands of kids – maybe even yours – play sports that put them at risk without the protection of mouth guards.

A False Sense of Security

And there’s another big problem, too – because even kids who’ve been told to wear mouth guards often simply decide not to.

To understand why, you need to look at the two kinds of mouth guards being used today.

The first – and, sadly, the most commonly recommended – is called a mouth-formed, self-adapted or “Boil & Bite” mouth guard.

Athletes heat these in water, cool them briefly, then put them in their mouth and shape them – using their fingers, tongue and biting pressure – to fit their teeth. 

You’re a careful parent, so you probably watch – maybe even help. Then you walk away feeling confident that your kid is protected.

Unfortunately, though, that good feeling is really a FALSE sense of security – because boil and bite mouth guards have some very serious drawbacks.

Less Cushioning and Comfort

Studies have found that as they’re being formed, boil and bite mouth guards can lose as much as 99% of their thickness in key areas, and that overall they have less cushioning than custom mouth guards.3

They’re also a whole lot less comfortable. They’re hard to keep in your mouth –and when they ARE in they can make it hard to talk and breathe. Some kids even complain that their mouth guards actually make them gag.

The result – tons of kids simply find ways to “lose” their mouth guards or “forget” them in their lockers.

Custom Fit Makes the Difference

Fortunately, custom-made mouth guards can solve all those problems – because they’re individually designed to fit the wearer’s mouth. To make them, we start with an impression. Then our molds the mouth guard over it using a special material.4 The result is greater protection and a truly comfortable fit. 

Because of the work and materials involved, custom mouth guards cost more, but studies (and my own personal experience) confirm that they’re a lot more comfortable – and a whole lot more likely to be used – than the boil and bite ones.5 And when you think about the possible consequences, which one is really more expensive? 

If you have a child who plays sports without a mouth guard – or you’re worried their current mouth guard isn’t keeping them safe – please give us a call.

We’ll be happy to discuss the best ways to give them all the comfort and protection they deserve.


  1. Using mouthguards to reduce the incidence and severity of sports-related oral injuries: http://jada.ada.org/content/137/12/1712.full
  2. Ibid.
  3. Ibid.
  4. Dental Health Mouth Guards: http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/mouth-guards
  5. Using mouthguards to reduce the incidence and severity of sports-related oral injuries: http://jada.ada.org/content/137/12/1712.full