Tooth Trauma & Mouth Guards
A cavity takes months or years to form. A broken tooth takes a fraction of a second. Traumatic dental injuries are sudden, painful, and often preventable — if you know the risks and take one simple precaution.
Causes of Traumatic Tooth Loss
Traumatic tooth loss happens when a strong impact knocks a tooth partially or completely out of its socket. The most common causes include:
- Sports injuries — The single biggest cause of dental trauma in young people. Contact sports like football, hockey, basketball, and lacrosse are high-risk, but even non-contact activities like skateboarding, cycling, and gymnastics cause dental injuries.
- Falls — Slipping on wet surfaces, tripping on stairs, or falling from playground equipment. Falls are the leading cause of dental injuries in children under six.
- Collisions — Running into another player, a goalpost, the ground, or a piece of equipment.
- Bicycle and vehicle accidents — A crash can drive a handlebar or dashboard into the face.
- Physical altercations — A blow to the face during a fight.
- Accidents during recreation — Being hit by a ball, puck, bat, elbow, or stick.
Types of Mouth Guards
A mouth guard is a flexible protective device worn over the upper teeth to absorb and distribute impact forces. There are three main types:
1. Stock (Ready-Made) Mouth Guards
These come pre-formed and ready to wear right out of the package. They are the least expensive option and can be found at most sporting goods stores.
- Pros: Inexpensive, no preparation needed
- Cons: Poor fit — they are bulky, can make breathing and speaking difficult, and provide the least protection because they cannot be customized
- Best for: Occasional use or when budget is a major constraint
2. Boil-and-Bite Mouth Guards
These are made from thermoplastic material. You soften them in hot water, then bite down to mold them to your teeth. They offer a much better fit than stock guards.
- Pros: Better fit and comfort than stock, affordable, widely available
- Cons: Not as precise as custom-made, can thin out during the molding process
- Best for: Most youth and recreational athletes — the best balance of protection, comfort, and cost
3. Custom-Made Mouth Guards
A dentist takes an impression of your teeth and a dental laboratory creates a guard tailored exactly to your mouth. These provide the best fit, comfort, and protection.
- Pros: Superior fit, most comfortable, best protection, does not interfere with breathing or speech
- Cons: Most expensive, requires a dental visit
- Best for: Athletes in high-contact sports, anyone with braces or dental work, and competitive athletes
When to Wear a Mouth Guard
The ADA and the Academy for Sports Dentistry recommend mouth guards for all sports and recreational activities with a risk of contact to the face. Here is a list organized by risk level:
Required or Strongly Recommended
These sports have the highest rates of dental injury:
- Football
- Ice hockey
- Field hockey
- Lacrosse
- Boxing and martial arts
- Wrestling
- Rugby
Highly Recommended
Significant risk of falls, collisions, or ball impacts:
- Basketball
- Soccer
- Baseball and softball
- Skateboarding and rollerblading
- Mountain biking
- Gymnastics
- Volleyball
- Water polo
Recommended for High-Risk Situations
Lower overall risk, but injuries do occur:
- Cycling (especially BMX or trail riding)
- Skiing and snowboarding
- Surfing
- Rock climbing
- Equestrian activities
- Racquetball and squash
