Correcting Initial Mouthguard Fit or Comfort Issues, Part 1

For athletes or those taking part in a variety of sports or activities that require or suggest mouthguard use, comfort is an obvious priority. No one wants to spend an entire game or training session wearing a mouthguard that’s uncomfortable, and this kind of discomfort also often signals issues with the protective qualities of a given mouthguard.

At Damage Control Mouthguards, we’re proud to offer a variety of mouthguard variations for your varying needs, from custom mouthpiece options to various specified sport choices like basketball mouthguards, football mouthguards or several others. Our mouthguard pros know just how comfort and protective qualities within a mouthguard intersect, and we’ll ensure your new mouthguard checks both boxes entirely. With that in mind, this two-part blog will go over one of the most important periods with any mouthguard: The “breaking in” phase, plus a few of the potential fit or comfort issues you may run into and what you can do about them.

Mouthguard Too Tight

In some cases, you may fit a new mouthguard and find that it’s too tight for your mouth. Luckily, this is one of the easier issues to fix, both in the case of custom mouthguards and other options like boil-and-bite models.

For custom mouthguards, pressure and heat are used for the initial fitting – and the same themes should be used for re-fitting a tight mouthguard, both for these or boil-and-bite options. Simply heat a pot of water to boiling point, then hold the guard over the water without actually submerging it in the water. Hold this position for about 10 seconds, then immediately place the mouthguard back in your mouth and keep it there until it cools, applying solid pressure to help re-mold it to your mouth.

Mouthguard Too Loose

When it comes to mouthguards that are too loose, things separate a bit. Boil-and-bite mouthguards are easy enough here, as all you have to do is simply repeat the boil and bite process to get the fit you are after.  For our Extreme Impact Mouthguards, if you are not getting the fit you are after, simply boil water in a pot.  When water starts to boil simply place the EI mouth guard in to the boiling water for 20-35 seconds. Then place in your mouth guard bite down and suck.  You will get the ultimate fit using this method. 

For custom mouthguards, on the other hand, you may want to contact us to resolve the issue.  Our custom mouth guards should not fit loose at all if they do we will take every step needed to correct the issue. 

Roughness and Rubbing Concerns

In other cases, you might notice certain specific rough patches or areas where the mouthguard is rubbing against the gums and causing discomfort. In this case, for all types of mouthguards, the remedy is relatively simple: Get a smooth, strong metal surface, often a spoon, and then heat this surface. Then apply a small amount of edible lubricant – cooking oil is easiest, though others will work. Using the surface of the metal, smooth out the rough area in the mouthguard with gentle strokes. The lubricant will ensure your metal doesn’t stick to the mouthguard or pull away and material.  Also, below is a good instructional video to follow if this does not correct the issue. 

 

For more on handling minor fit or comfort issues while breaking in a new mouthguard, or to learn about any of our custom sport mouthguard products, speak to the staff at Damage Control Mouthguards today.