Mouthguards for Contact Sport: What North Queensland Families Should Know
A guide to custom-fitted mouthguards for footy, netball and other contact sports, and why they matter for North Queensland's junior athletes.
Winter footy season across North Queensland means Saturday mornings full of junior league, touch, and netball, whether that’s a Kirwan side running out at Thuringowa or a Bohle Plains junior team getting a lift from a parent based at Lavarack Barracks. It also means a steady trickle of chipped teeth and split lips walking through our doors on Monday. A properly fitted mouthguard is one of the simplest things a family can do to cut down that risk, yet it’s often the last thing packed in the sports bag.
Why a Mouthguard Matters
Any sport where there’s a real chance of a knock to the face, rugby league, touch football, hockey, netball, boxing, even mountain biking, carries some risk of a dental injury. A hard knock to the mouth can chip or fracture a tooth, damage the nerve inside it, or in the worst cases knock a tooth out completely. Jaw injuries happen too, and a mouthguard helps cushion the impact between the upper and lower jaw as well as protecting the teeth themselves.
None of this means contact sport isn’t worth playing. Plenty of our patients across Ingham, Innisfail, Bowen and Emerald grew up on the local footy field and wouldn’t change it. It just means a mouthguard is worth treating as standard kit, the same as boots or a gumshield in the rules, rather than an optional extra.
Custom-Fitted vs Store-Bought Guards
Not all mouthguards protect equally well, and the difference mostly comes down to fit.
Custom-fitted mouthguards, made by your dentist from an impression of your own teeth, sit closer to the gum line and stay put during a game. Because they’re moulded to your exact bite, they’re also easier to talk and breathe through, which matters when a player is more likely to actually wear one that doesn’t feel like a hindrance.
Boil-and-bite guards, softened in hot water and bitten into shape at home, are better than nothing but rarely fit as precisely. They can loosen mid-game, and a loose guard is easy to spit out onto the sideline the moment it gets uncomfortable.
Stock mouthguards, the pre-formed, off-the-shelf kind, offer the least protection. They’re bulky, generic, and tend to get left in the kit bag rather than worn.
For a growing child or teenager playing regularly, the extra step of a custom fitting is a small investment against a dental injury that can mean a lifetime of ongoing treatment, root canal work, a crown, or in some cases losing a tooth altogether. Your dentist will always give you a written quote before any fitting goes ahead, so there are no surprises.
Who Should Be Wearing One
Kids and teenagers in junior league, touch football, hockey, or netball are the biggest group we fit, and it’s a conversation worth having early with families in growing areas like Bohle Plains and Kirwan, where junior sport rosters fill up fast every season. But it isn’t only school-age players. Adults in social competitions, and anyone who plays sport with braces or dental implants, have their own reasons to wear a guard, since a knock can be more complicated to treat when orthodontic hardware or restorative work is involved.
Growing kids also need their mouthguard checked and remade periodically as their teeth and jaw develop, a boil-and-bite bought two seasons ago in Emerald or Innisfail may no longer fit the same mouth. It’s worth bringing your child’s guard along to their regular check-up so your dentist can confirm it still fits properly, rather than waiting until pre-season to find out it doesn’t.
Looking After Your Mouthguard
A mouthguard only works if it’s actually worn, and that’s more likely if it’s kept in good condition. Rinse it after every use, store it in a firm, ventilated case rather than a sweaty sports bag, and give it an occasional clean with a toothbrush and cold water (never hot, which can warp the fit). If it starts to feel loose, develops holes, or your child has grown noticeably since it was made, it’s time for a replacement rather than pushing on with a guard that no longer does its job.
Book a Mouthguard Fitting
Before the next season kicks off, it’s worth getting the whole team, or the whole family, fitted with a proper mouthguard. Our clinics in Ingham, Innisfail, Bohle Plains, Townsville, Bowen, and Emerald can take an impression and have a custom guard ready in time for training. Contact us or check our clinics page to find your nearest location and book in.
This article is general information only and is not a substitute for personalised advice from your dentist.
Frequently asked questions
As soon as they begin contact sport, including junior grades. Children's front teeth are frequently injured in exactly these years, and a lost or damaged adult front tooth at age ten leads to a lifetime of replacement work. The guard will need remaking as their mouth grows.
Yes, and it becomes more important rather than less, since brackets can cut the lips on impact. A guard designed for braces accommodates the hardware and allows for teeth moving during treatment. Tell your dentist your child is in orthodontic treatment so the right type is made.
For children, often each season, because jaws and teeth change quickly and a guard that no longer fits does not protect. For adults, when it becomes worn, loose or damaged. Bring it to a check-up and your dentist will tell you whether it is still doing its job.
Act within minutes. Hold the tooth by the crown, never the root, do not scrub it, and if possible place it back in the socket and bite gently on a cloth. Otherwise keep it in milk or the player's own saliva and get to a dentist immediately. Time is the single biggest factor in whether it can be saved.
Have a question about your own situation?
Book a visit with your local My Family Dental team across North Queensland. We’ll assess your teeth, explain your options, and answer your questions.