Mouthguards for Kids’ Sport: How to Prevent Dental Injuries This Season
- Star Light Dental
- February 5, 2026
- [email protected]
Winter sport registrations are open across south-west Sydney, and boots, shin pads and headgear are going into shopping trolleys. The piece of equipment most often left off the list is also one of the cheapest: a mouthguard.
Dental injuries are among the most common injuries in junior sport, and they are the ones that last. A broken arm heals. A lost front tooth at twelve means decades of dental work. Here is what parents need to know before the season starts.
1. Which Sports Need a Mouthguard?
The Australian Dental Association recommends a mouthguard for any sport where there is a risk of a knock to the face. That clearly includes rugby league, rugby union, AFL, hockey, boxing and martial arts. It also includes sports many parents do not think of as contact sports, such as soccer, basketball, netball, cricket, water polo and skateboarding.
Training counts too. A large share of injuries happen at practice, when mouthguards are most likely to be sitting in the kit bag.
2. Custom-Fitted vs Boil-and-Bite
A custom-fitted mouthguard is made from a mould of your child’s teeth. Because it fits precisely, it stays in place, spreads the force of a blow across all the teeth, and lets your child breathe and talk normally, which means they actually keep it in.
A boil-and-bite guard from a chemist or sports shop is softened in hot water and bitten into shape. It is better than nothing, but the fit is loose, the material thins out where protection is needed most, and children tend to chew it or take it out. The ADA and Sports Medicine Australia both recommend custom-fitted guards.
3. What About Braces and Growing Mouths?
Children with braces need a mouthguard more than anyone, because a knock can drive brackets into lips and cheeks. Special designs leave room for the teeth to keep moving.
Growing children generally need a new mouthguard each season. Baby teeth fall out, adult teeth arrive and the jaw grows, and a guard that no longer fits does not protect. Bring it along to your child’s check-up and we will check the fit.
4. Looking After a Mouthguard
- Rinse it in cold water after every use.
- Store it in a rigid, ventilated case, not loose in the bottom of a bag.
- Keep it away from heat. A hot car or hot water will warp it.
- Replace it if it is split, bitten through, loose or no longer comfortable.
5. If a Tooth Is Knocked Out
What you do in the first few minutes decides whether an adult tooth survives.
- Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown, the white part. Do not touch the root.
- If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk. Do not scrub it or wrap it in a tissue.
- Put it back in the socket if you can and have your child bite gently on a clean cloth.
- If that is not possible, keep it in milk or inside the cheek.
- See a dentist within the hour.
Never put a baby tooth back in, as it can damage the adult tooth developing underneath. Our emergency dentist page has more first-aid steps, and same-day emergency appointments are available most days.
6. Before the Season Starts
A pre-season check-up makes sure there are no loose baby teeth, untreated decay or other problems that a knock could turn into an emergency. It is also the right time to ask us about mouthguard options for your child’s age and sport. If your family is eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule, the check-up itself may be covered by Medicare.
Protect Their Smile This Season
Call Star Light Dental in Prestons on (02) 9432 2833 or book online. We are open Saturdays from 10am to 3pm, so there is no need to miss school or training.