A 9-year-old came to our clinic last year with a fractured front tooth from a cricket ball. The ball was bowled, the bat was missed, the ball hit the mouth. The injury was preventable. The child had not been wearing a mouthguard. Neither had any of his teammates. His coach had never mentioned one, and the parents had not thought about it, because mouthguards are not part of the standard equipment conversation in Indian school cricket.
This is the norm. Dental injury prevention in Indian children’s sports is years behind the curve, even in well-resourced schools and academies. The injuries we treat as a result, most of them avoidable, range from chipped front teeth to full avulsions that need emergency reimplantation (which we wrote about in our June post on knocked-out teeth).
This article walks through which sports carry real dental injury risk for children, what mouthguards actually do, and why the cheapest option often turns out to be the most expensive choice over time.
Which sports actually need mouthguards
Dental injury risk in children’s sports varies more than parents expect. The traditional contact-sport list (boxing, rugby, hockey) is well-known. The less-obvious list matters more in India because more children play these sports.
High risk for dental injury:
- Cricket (ball impact, bat impact, wicketkeeping)
- Hockey (ball and stick impact)
- Boxing, MMA, kickboxing
- Karate, taekwondo, judo (especially during sparring)
- Skating (falls, rink contact)
- Skateboarding, BMX
- Basketball (elbows, collisions)
- Football (head-to-head, ball impact)
Moderate risk:
- Cycling (falls)
- Volleyball
- Gymnastics
- Tennis (less common but happens)
- Wrestling
Lower risk but still worth a mouthguard for children prone to falling:
- Athletics (sprinting falls)
- Swimming (pool edge impact)
- Trampoline (very high impact when accidents happen)
Most parents in Hyderabad are surprised that cricket tops the list. Cricket ball impact at the speeds children bowl at by age 10 is enough to fracture a front tooth or knock it out entirely. Wicketkeeping is the highest single-position risk in school cricket, by a wide margin in the cases we see.
What a mouthguard actually does
A properly fitted mouthguard does four things:
- Absorbs and distributes the energy of an impact across multiple teeth instead of concentrating it on one.
- Cushions the soft tissues (lips, cheeks, tongue) from being cut by the teeth during impact.
- Reduces the force transmitted from the lower jaw to the upper jaw, which lowers the risk of concussion in head impacts.
- Reduces the risk of jaw fracture in heavy impacts.
The protection is not theoretical. Studies in school sports consistently show that children wearing mouthguards have a much lower rate of dental injury per hour of play. The protection is greatest for the upper front teeth, which take the brunt of most facial impacts.
The three types of mouthguards
Not all mouthguards are equally effective. There are three commonly available options, and the price-to-protection ratio is not linear.
1. Stock (pre-formed) mouthguards.
The cheapest option. Available at sports shops and online for very low prices. One size, comes ready to wear, no fitting required.
Pros: Cheap, immediately available.
Cons: Poor fit. Bulky. Often does not stay in place during play. Many children remove them mid-game because they cannot speak or breathe comfortably. The protection they offer in real-world use is significantly lower than the lab-tested claim because they are simply not worn properly.
Our take: Generally not recommended. The child often ends up effectively unprotected.
2. Boil-and-bite mouthguards.
The middle option. A thermoplastic guard that is softened in hot water and shaped by biting into it. The fit is customised to the child’s mouth in a rough way.
Pros: Inexpensive, much better fit than stock guards, available at sports stores and online. Can be re-moulded if the fit is wrong the first time.
Cons: The fit is still not precise. The material is often too thick or too thin in places. Retention during high-impact play is moderate. Most children get acceptable protection for low to moderate-risk sports.
Our take: A reasonable option for children playing moderate-risk sports recreationally. The child must be old enough to mould it correctly (around age 10 plus, ideally with parent supervision).
3. Custom-fitted mouthguards (made by a dentist).
The premium option. The dentist takes an impression of the child’s teeth and fabricates a mouthguard in a dental lab. The fit is exact, the thickness is appropriate per area, retention is excellent.
Pros: Best fit, best comfort, best retention during play, best protection. Often slim enough that the child does not mind wearing it. Can be made in school colours.
Cons: Higher upfront cost. Requires a dental appointment for the impression. Needs to be remade as the child’s teeth change (typically every 1 to 2 years during mixed dentition, every 2 to 3 years afterward).
Our take: The right choice for children playing high-risk sports regularly. The cost is meaningfully less than the cost of treating a single dental injury that the mouthguard would have prevented.
When to upgrade from one type to another
If your child is just starting a sport at low intensity, a boil-and-bite is reasonable. As the sport becomes more serious (school team, academy, weekly practice plus matches), the case for a custom mouthguard strengthens. The trigger we suggest to parents:
- The child is on a school or club team
- The child is practising 3 or more times a week
- The child is in a contact-heavy position (wicketkeeper, hockey goalkeeper, central position in football)
- The child has had any previous dental injury
- The child has braces or orthodontic appliances (a custom mouthguard is mandatory at this point, both for braces protection and for proper fit)
In any of these cases, the boil-and-bite is no longer the right tool.
Why mouthguards do not catch on in India
Three honest reasons:
Coaches do not require them. In most Indian school cricket, hockey, and football programmes, mouthguards are not mandatory equipment. Helmets are required for wicketkeepers (and even that took years). Mouthguard culture follows coach culture.
Parents do not know to ask. The conversation about sports equipment focuses on pads, helmets, shoes, gloves. Mouthguards are an afterthought even at well-equipped academies.
The injury is invisible until it happens. Until your child takes a ball to the mouth, the risk feels abstract. After it happens, the cost (one or more fractured teeth, often a root canal in a young permanent tooth, often years of follow-up care) is concrete. The math shifts sharply after the fact.
The right time to start the mouthguard conversation is at the start of the season, not after the injury.
Common questions Hyderabad parents ask
“My child plays cricket only at school. Does she really need a mouthguard?” Yes. School cricket is where most cricket-related dental injuries in children happen. The level of supervision and protective equipment is typically lower than at academies.
“What does a custom mouthguard cost?” Please contact our reception for current pricing. The cost is meaningfully less than the cost of treating a single fractured front tooth, which often requires multiple visits and ongoing care.
“My child has braces. Can he wear a regular mouthguard?” No. Standard mouthguards do not accommodate braces and can damage the appliance. A custom mouthguard made specifically over the brackets is the right option.
“How long does a custom mouthguard last?” For a growing child, typically 1 to 2 years before the fit becomes loose due to tooth changes. For older teens and adults, 2 to 3 years.
“Can the mouthguard cause breathing problems during play?” A well-fitted custom mouthguard does not affect breathing. Stock and poorly fitted boil-and-bite guards sometimes do, which is why children remove them mid-game.
Booking a mouthguard consultation at ToothMatters Jr.
If your child is starting a sport this term and you are not sure which mouthguard is appropriate, book a 15-minute consult. We will look at the sport, the level of play, the position, your child’s bite, and recommend the right option. If a custom mouthguard is appropriate, we take the impression at the consult and the finished guard is ready in about a week. WhatsApp the clinic with your child’s age, sport, and position.
This article is for general information and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice. Every child is different. Please consult Dr. Sravanthi or your pediatric dentist for guidance specific to your child.