Rugby Mouthguards for Kids UK: What’s the Best Protection for Your Child?
If your child plays rugby, wearing a mouthguard isn’t optional, it’s essential.
Rugby is one of the highest-risk sports for dental trauma in children. Tackles, collisions and accidental head contact can result in broken teeth, nerve damage and even tooth loss.
Research shows that wearing a mouthguard significantly reduces the risk and severity of sports-related dental injuries compared to not wearing one at all.
🔗 Systematic Review – Dental Traumatology: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/316321593/
But here’s what many parents in the UK don’t realise:
Not all rugby mouthguards for kids provide the same level of protection.
The difference comes down to fit, thickness and how the mouthguard is made.
Why Rugby Players Need Properly Fitted Mouthguards
Children’s teeth and jaws are still developing. In rugby, impacts are often direct and forceful.
Poorly fitting gum shields can:
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Fall out during tackles
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Be too thin in key impact areas
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Fail to distribute forces properly
A comparative mechanical study found that customised multilayer mouthguards reduced stress transmission more effectively than boil-and-bite guards.
In simple terms:
👉 Better fit = better force absorption = better protection.
Types of Rugby Mouthguards for Kids in the UK
Stock Rugby Gum Shields (Shop-Bought)
These are pre-formed guards sold in sports shops across the UK.
Pros:
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Cheap
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Instantly available
Cons:
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Poor retention
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Bulky
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Often fall out during play
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Lowest level of protection
Reviews consistently show stock mouthguards provide the least protection due to inadequate adaptation to teeth.
🔗 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/316321593/
For contact sport like rugby, these are not ideal for regular use.
Boil-and-Bite Rugby Mouthguards
These are softened in hot water and moulded at home.
They are widely used by children playing school rugby due to affordability.
Pros:
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Affordable
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More customised than stock
Cons:
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Thickness often reduces during moulding
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Fit depends entirely on how well it’s shaped
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Can distort
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May loosen quickly as children grow
Laboratory comparisons show custom mouthguards provide more consistent force distribution than boil-and-bite types.
The issue isn’t that boil-and-bite guards don’t work, it’s that protection is inconsistent.
Custom Rugby Mouthguards (Including 3D Scanned Mouthguards UK)
Custom rugby mouthguards for kids are made specifically for your child’s teeth by a dental professional.
Today, many UK providers use 3D intraoral scanning instead of traditional mould impressions. This technology digitally captures a precise model of the teeth.
A randomised clinical trial comparing digital scanning and traditional impressions for mouthguard fabrication found digital scanning to be accurate, efficient and comfortable for patients.
🔗 Clinical Trial: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41607037/
The real protective advantage comes from:
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Controlled thickness in high-impact areas
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Precise adaptation
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Improved retention
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Better compliance (kids are more likely to wear them)
For contact rugby, custom mouthguards are widely regarded as the gold standard.
Best Rugby Gum Shield for Children UK – What Should Parents Choose?
If your child plays:
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School rugby
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Club rugby
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County rugby
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Contact training multiple times per week
A custom rugby mouthguard UK provides the most reliable protection.
If your child plays occasionally and budget is a concern, a properly fitted boil-and-bite may be acceptable, but check fit and thickness regularly.
Stock gum shields should only be considered temporary protection.
Check out this blog post on why schools need custom mouthguards here
3D Scanned Rugby Mouthguards – How Sereclean Works
At Sereclean, we provide custom 3D intraoral-scanned rugby mouthguards for kids across the UK through organised scan days at schools and rugby clubs.
That means:
✔ No messy impressions
✔ Quick digital scan
✔ Dental-lab manufactured gum shields
✔ Precise fit
✔ Delivered within approximately 2 weeks
Check out our testimonials here
We bring our scanning equipment directly to your school or rugby club.
👉 See exactly how our rugby mouthguard scan days work here:
https://sereclean.com/pages/how-it-works
Book a Rugby Mouthguard Scan Day for Your Club
If you’re a parent, rugby coach, or school sports coordinator in the UK, you can organise a Sereclean scan day for your team.
Multiple children can be scanned in one visit, making it simple and efficient for busy families.
👉 Contact Sereclean today to book a rugby mouthguard scan day for your club or school.
Your child’s teeth are permanent. Rugby is physical. Protect them properly.
