It is important to wear a professionally made mouthguard whenever you play sport that involves physical contact or moving objects.
This includes: cricket, hockey and football-which can cause broken and damaged teeth; and American football, boxing and rugby-which can all cause broken or dislocated jaws.
A mouthguard is a specially made moulded vinyl cover which fits exactly over the teeth and gums, cushioning them and protecting them from damage. It is made by taking an accurate impression of your mouth and making the mouthguard specifically to fit your own teeth. There are many colours to choose from including striped, multi-coloured and clear. Many people now have mouthguards made in their favourite team’s colours or to match their own sports strip.
Children who are still growing will have new teeth coming through so positioning will change and their mouthguard will need replacing fairly regularly. Adults may not need to replace theirs so often but, as with other sports equipment, mouthguards will suffer from and tear. If you already have a mouthguard we recommend that you bring it to your next dental health check, so that we can make sure it fits properly.