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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Gum Shields - are they worth the money?

37 replies

katemiddletonsothermum · 03/09/2015 19:30

The £40 ones you get via school, TBH.

DCs have the cheap ones from sports shops. They're average players who only make the D teams in rugby and hockey. They don't play for the local clubs so they use the mouth guards at school.

Now I feel guilty that I'm remoulding DS's mouthguard via hot water rather than having had it fitted professionally last June.

OP posts:
LIZS · 03/09/2015 19:32

For most boil and bite are fine especially if teeth are still changing.

confusedandemployed · 03/09/2015 19:33

I played rugby in uni. I would definitely recommend a professionally moulded one, having used both types.

Original poster
katemiddletonsothermum · 03/09/2015 19:36

Euw - two different opinions!

OP posts:
RealityCheque · 03/09/2015 19:37

Proper ones if you care about the teeth.

TPel · 03/09/2015 19:42

Get the proper one. £40 is a damn sight cheaper than corrective orthodontics !

Teeth get left in the sports fields of D teams too!

Original poster
katemiddletonsothermum · 03/09/2015 20:03

But it's a good point LIZs has made. DS's teeth are all over the place, mostly under the pillow, waiting for the Tooth Fairy.

OP posts:
Ragwort · 03/09/2015 20:09

Yes - seriously worth it - there's lots of things I cut back on - I only buy clothes and shoes for myself and children in charity shops but I would NEVER buy a cheap mouth guard.

I know too many middle aged rugby players without their own teeth Grin - fortunately my DH always wore a fitted mouth guard when playing rugby.

Lauren15 · 03/09/2015 20:11

Ds1 got a fractured tooth wearing a DIY mouthguard so it's only professional ones for us from now on.

Rosieposy4 · 03/09/2015 20:11

No just buy decent boil in the bag ones for kids whose teeth are chaging shape often, opro silver/gold are good and not too pricey

Helpmeoutofthemaze · 03/09/2015 20:12

I think £40 is reasonable. My nhs kids dentist wanted £80 Hmm. Managed to get elsewhere fortunately. However if the school offered me the chance to get it done for £40 I'd be happy.

RachelZoe · 03/09/2015 20:34

Yes, get the best one possible. DS had broken teeth from hockey, cost a fortune to get them looking lovely again. £40 pales in comparison huge dental bills (cosmetic stuff is expensive) and/or a lot of pain. If you have it, do it.

Original poster
katemiddletonsothermum · 03/09/2015 21:13

OK - they're still in primary, so will sort out the pro ones for next year when DD is in senior and DS is in year 5.

Sorted.

Thanks, y'all.

OP posts:
Dafspunk · 03/09/2015 21:18

It's not just about teeth. Non custom fitted ones can be loose and the wearer can end up choking on it if they get a hard knock that bumps it out of place.

TimeToMuskUp · 03/09/2015 21:34

DS1 plays rugby and wears a properly fitted one he had made last summer. He's lost two more teeth since then and the new season begins this sunday, dug it out to try on him and it doesn't fit quite so flush now, but I'd always go for a proper one.

W00t · 03/09/2015 21:38

The hardest thing is when you mould them ... and half their front teeth are missing Hmm
Then their adult ones grow through...

TalkinPeace · 03/09/2015 21:57

DSs coach sells the boil / mould ones for £5
the boys get through loads every season

multiple cheap ones that are chucked if damaged is better than one that you care about

teeth are worth more than gum shields

Weathergames · 03/09/2015 22:00

All my three moulded then and never wore them even though O bought them one religiously every fucking year.

Total waste of money.

TalkinPeace · 03/09/2015 22:02

weather
were they allowed to play without wearing shields?
DSs coach will not let them onto the pitch unless they are wearing a shield

HarryDresdensLeatherDuster · 03/09/2015 22:13

Most clubs won"t let children play rugby without a gum shield and I would not want my DS to play at a club that didn't enforce the rule. Gum shields (for rugby anyway) are not just about teeth, they also help guard against other jaw issues as well as against concussion from the jaw being hit. There is no way my DS would be allowed on a rugby pitch without one!

If he has one of the Shock Doctor mould-your-own numbers he has a tendency to slip it out during non-contact times and chew it, whereas the proper moulded one he has stays where it is meant to be which effectively saves me money as I don't have to replace it every couple of months!

Disclaimer - DS plays a LOT of rugby across school, club, county and development squad so there is ample time for chewing!

Katiepoes · 03/09/2015 22:44

My dad was a kid's rugby coach. He frequently got asked about getting proper shields - his response was to pull out his top four teeth on their gammy looking bridge and tell them it was up to them. They always got the good ones!

To be fair his were kicked out at 15 so he had adult teeth, but still...

mummytime · 03/09/2015 22:56

If you have a child like my DS - who basically doesn't even use his football boots, and you know is not at all "enthusiastic" then the boil ones are probably okay (especially if you don't know if he'll even really use them).
Otherwise...

But I'd be talking to my dentist about this - in fact I did!

CiderwithBuda · 03/09/2015 23:04

We went for the custom fitted one the first time. DS reckoned it tasted of the stuff used to make the mold which made him gag so he wouldn't wear it. Boil in the bag normal ones- he hates the taste. So we get boil in the bag flavoured ones.

I wish he would wear a proper one.

W00t · 04/09/2015 00:02

There are flavoured ones, Buda? Where are they from, please?

Original poster
katemiddletonsothermum · 04/09/2015 00:30

CiderwithBuda - YES yes - yes - where do you get the flavoured ones????? I think DS would even wear a pink one if it tasted of strawberries.

OP posts:
Bogeyface · 04/09/2015 00:53

My DD was at school with a girl who lost 4 teeth to Rugby. We got the expensive one from the dentist!

I dont know if it was worth it but I felt that if she was going to lose teeth I could at least sleep at night knowing that I had done my best to prevent it. It was an expense we could do without but I figured it was cheaper than orthodontics.