Some children take their mouthguard out the moment the coach looks away. If that sounds familiar, the issue is often fit or comfort, not attitude. We look at your child’s teeth, sport and feedback, and plan a guard they can breathe, talk and play in.
Plenty of parents have watched it happen: the guard goes in for warm-up and is out again by the second drill, stuffed into a glove or a sock. Children rarely ditch a mouthguard for no reason. Often it feels too bulky, makes them gag, or stops them from being heard on the field.
That is where a visit helps. Bring the guard your child has been avoiding and let them explain, in their own words, what bothers them. Tell us about recent tooth changes, earlier injuries, and any braces or appliances, because each of these can affect what will feel right.
For families travelling from Oakville, one well-prepared appointment can cover a lot: the sport, the current guard, and whether a new or custom-fitted option is worth considering. The point is a guard your child will actually leave in.
Resistance is useful information. Pair it with a look at the activity and the teeth, and revisit the plan whenever something changes.
Children sometimes assume a guard is only for tackle sports. Mention every activity, from basketball and soccer to skating and trampoline parks, and ask the dentist how protection fits with the helmet, face gear and rules involved. A clear reason helps a child cooperate.
Gagging, chafed gums, or a guard that drops whenever your child opens wide all deserve a professional look. Bring it in instead of trimming it yourself. Telling a child to put up with it usually means it ends up back in the bag.
Lost baby teeth, new adult teeth and orthodontic movement can turn a comfortable guard into an uncomfortable one. Let the clinician know about upcoming braces or adjustments, and ask whether the guard can allow for those changes and when to recheck.
Even when a guard was in, a blow to the mouth may need an injury assessment. Protection lowers the risk but cannot confirm that nothing was hurt.
Well-fitted sports mouthguards help reduce injuries to the teeth and the tissues around them. The Canadian Dental Association encourages families to look at custom-fitted options. Comfort is not a luxury here; a guard that is easy to wear is more likely to be in place when an impact happens.
It also has limits. A mouthguard does not replace a helmet, a face cage, fair play or medical attention after a suspected head injury. Nobody should describe it to you as a way to prevent concussion or every possible dental injury.
Patient information: Canadian Dental Association — preventing sports-related oral injuries
The clinician considers the teeth, how they meet and any appliance, rather than going by the age on a package. Ask how comfort and fit will be checked, and encourage your child to describe exactly what they feel.
A calm try-on lets your child learn to insert and remove the guard and store it properly, without teammates watching. It is a good moment to ask about gagging, speech and breathing. Ongoing discomfort should be reported, not accepted.
As your child grows, a guard that felt fine can start to pinch or loosen. Ask what signs to watch for and bring the guard to routine visits. Keeping protection comfortable over time is what keeps it in use.
Start early enough that the guard is ready before the season. Timing depends on the type of guard, and the assessment itself does not mean same-day delivery.
We talk about the sport, the level of play, existing equipment, past injuries and orthodontic plans. Your child can show us what they dislike about the current guard. Mention any sensory difficulties so the visit can be paced accordingly.
Once the teeth, bite, erupting teeth and any appliance have been checked, the clinician sets out where a custom guard and a store-bought one differ for your child. Ask about the number of visits, the cost and how often a replacement might be needed.
If you choose custom, records of the teeth are taken in the way the clinician arranges. Let us know beforehand about a strong gag reflex. Ask when the guard should be ready and whether a fitting visit is included.
At the fitting, we check retention and ask your child to talk and breathe with the guard in. They practise putting it in and taking it out, and we review cleaning and storage. Confirm when to return and what to do if a tooth erupts, the guard tears, or braces change things.
Use the instructions for your child’s particular guard. A parent may need to oversee the routine at first, especially for younger players.
Rinse and clean the guard as directed with products suited to its material, then let it dry. Store it in a protective case with vents. Never leave it somewhere hot, such as a closed car, where it can lose its shape.
Check now and then for tears, thinning, distortion or edges that have become uncomfortable. A chewed guard is less likely to fit, so encourage your child to wear it rather than gnaw on it. Don’t share it or patch it with glue.
Bring the guard to dental visits and call sooner if your child says it no longer feels right. Erupting or lost teeth, fillings and braces can all affect comfort. The calendar alone won’t tell you whether it still fits.
Patient information: Fraser Health — choosing and caring for sports mouthguards
Parents ask about comfort, speech, growth and replacing lost guards. A fit check is often the answer to more than one of them.
Reach out to our Bronte Street practice to plan a mouthguard visit. Bring the guard your child has been using, a list of their sports, and any notes on braces, appliances or recent dental changes.
Guard type, fit, fabrication time and replacement are discussed for each child. An injury still needs assessment even if the guard was worn.
