Footy and boxing are obvious. Nobody argues about those. The awkward conversations happen around netball, basketball, cricket and skateboarding, where a parent quite reasonably asks whether spending real money on a custom mouthguard is warranted for a sport with no tackling in it. It’s a fair question, and the answer is less about whether a sport is officially labelled contact and more about whether an elbow, a ball, a stick or the ground can reach someone’s face.
The Sports That Warrant One
The list is broader than most people expect, for one reason: teeth get broken by accidents, not just by tackles.
The Australian Dental Association goes further, noting that it isn’t only contact sports like rugby, AFL and hockey that cause these injuries, and that cricket, basketball, netball, touch football, skateboarding and soccer can also damage teeth and mouths.
Grouped roughly by how the injury tends to happen, these are the activities where a fitted mouthguard earns its keep:
- Collision sports: AFL, rugby league and union, boxing, martial arts. Impact is part of the game
- Stick and ball sports: hockey, cricket, baseball, lacrosse. A hard object travelling fast near face height
- Elbow sports: basketball, netball, soccer, touch football. Accidental contact reaching for the same ball
- Fall sports: skateboarding, scootering, BMX, trampolining, rock climbing. The ground does the damage
- Anything with a bat, ball, stick or hard surface near a mouth, really
The Ones People Assume Are Fine
Netball is the one that comes up most in Cranbourne West. No tackling, so it reads as low risk, but the reality is a court full of players jumping for the same ball with elbows at head height. Basketball is the same.
Cricket is another. Batters wear helmets with grilles, but wicketkeepers, close fielders and anyone at training facing throwdowns are all in range of a hard ball.
And trampolining. Backyard trampolines account for a lot of chipped front teeth in kids, and nobody puts a mouthguard on for the backyard. That’s not a realistic ask, but it’s worth knowing where the risk actually sits.
The Three Types, Compared
This is where the money question gets decided.
| Stock | Boil-and-bite | Custom-made | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where you get it | Chemist or sports store | Chemist or sports store | Your dentist |
| How it’s fitted | Not fitted, generic shape | Softened in hot water, bitten into | Made from a mould or 3D scan of your teeth |
| Thickness | Even but generic | Can end up thinner in places | Controlled across the guard |
| Talking and breathing | Difficult, often bulky | Variable | Generally easier |
| Protection level | Lowest | Better than stock, below custom | Most protective per the ADA |
| Cost | Lowest | Low | Highest upfront |
The thickness row is the one worth pausing on. When you bite into a boil-and-bite guard, you’re pressing the material thinner wherever you bite hardest, which is often exactly where you’d want it thickest. A guard that fits loosely can also shift during play.
Kids, Growth and When to Replace
This is the genuine complication with junior sport, and it’s why parents hesitate.
A child’s mouth changes constantly. Teeth fall out, adult teeth come through, jaws grow. A guard made in March may not fit properly by September. The ADA notes that a mouthguard can last multiple seasons if it’s stored properly and the fit is checked by your dentist, though that applies once growth has finished.
For a growing child, the practical approach is usually to have the fit checked at each dental visit rather than assuming last season’s guard is still doing its job. A guard that’s become loose is providing less protection than it appears to.
If Your Child Has Braces
Anyone in orthodontic treatment has more reason to wear one, not less, since brackets and wires can cut the inside of the lips on impact. Mention the braces when the guard is being made, because it changes how it’s designed.
Looking After It
A guard that warps is a guard that doesn’t fit. Basic care:
- Rinse in cool or warm water after use, never hot
- Store it dry in a ventilated case, not in a sports bag
- Keep it out of direct sunlight and out of the car
- Write your child’s name on both the guard and the case
- Bring it to check-ups so the fit can be reviewed
The car point matters more than people expect. A guard left on a dashboard on a summer day can distort enough to stop fitting properly.
If Something Happens Anyway
No mouthguard removes risk entirely. If a tooth is knocked out, time matters a great deal.
Healthdirect advises trying to find an adult tooth, holding it by the crown rather than the root, and aiming to reach a dentist or hospital within 30 minutes. If it can’t be put back in, storing it in milk or saliva keeps it from drying out. A knocked-out baby tooth should not be put back in.
That’s the argument for having a number saved before you need it. An emergency dental appointment on a Saturday afternoon is a different proposition when you already know who to ring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Extra Cost Worth It?
A custom-made guard is described by the ADA as the most protective option, and it’s generally more comfortable to wear, which matters because a guard left in the bag protects nobody. Whether the difference justifies the cost depends on the sport and how often your child plays. Your dentist can talk through what suits your situation.
Does My Child Need One for Netball or Basketball?
Both involve accidental contact near face height, and the ADA lists netball and basketball among sports that can damage teeth. Many local clubs across Cranbourne, Cranbourne North and Skye now encourage them. Risk varies with age and level of play, so it’s worth asking rather than assuming.
How Long Does One Last?
With proper storage and fit checks, one can last several seasons for someone who has finished growing. For children, growth usually means replacing more often. Your dentist can check the fit at each visit and advise when a new one is needed.
Can I Wear a Night Guard for Sport?
No. A grinding splint and a sports mouthguard are built differently and do different jobs. A night guard isn’t designed to absorb impact. If you need both, they’re made separately.
When Should Children Start Wearing One?
Generally once the adult front teeth have come through and they’re playing a sport with any collision or fall risk. A children’s dentist can advise based on which teeth are through. Families in Junction Village and Langwarrin often raise it at the start of a season.
Book a Mouthguard Fitting Before the Season Starts in Cranbourne West
The awkward time to sort a mouthguard out is the week before round one, when everyone else has had the same thought. If your child is starting a season, or last year’s guard has stopped fitting, get a custom mouthguard made with some time up your sleeve. The team at Cranbourne West Dental can check the fit of an existing one too, which costs nothing to ask about at a routine visit.