By Dr Elizabeth Crake
Wimbledon is one of the most active corners of London, rugby and hockey on the club pitches, boxing and martial arts in the local gyms, and cyclists threading the woodland trails of Wimbledon Common. All of that is wonderful for your health, but every contact sport, fall or flying ball also carries a risk to your teeth. A custom-fitted sports mouthguard is the simplest way to protect your smile, and here's why it beats the shop-bought alternative.
Why your teeth are at risk during sport
Dental trauma, a chipped, loosened or knocked-out tooth, is a common sports injury that can happen in a split second. A stray elbow in rugby, a high ball in hockey, a fall from a bike on the Common or a misjudged punch in the gym can all do real damage, and front teeth are especially exposed. The Oral Health Foundation recommends a properly fitted mouthguard for any collision or contact sport, precisely because these injuries are so preventable.
The problem is that adult teeth don't grow back. A knocked-out permanent tooth that can't be saved leads to a lifetime of restorative care, and that's far more costly, in time and money, than the guard that would have prevented it.
Custom-fitted versus boil-and-bite: the real difference
Most high-street and online mouthguards are the "boil-and-bite" type: you soften them in hot water and bite to shape them at home. They're cheap and better than nothing, but they're bulky, fit loosely, and often make it hard to breathe or speak, so people take them out or never wear them at all.
A custom mouthguard is made from a precise scan or impression of your own teeth, then crafted in the laboratory to fit only you. The benefits are significant:
- A snug, secure fit that stays in place during play rather than shifting or falling out.
- Better shock absorption, the guard spreads impact more evenly across your teeth and jaw.
- Comfort you'll actually tolerate, so you breathe and speak more easily and keep it in.
- Correct thickness for your sport, from lighter guards for hockey to thicker ones for rugby and boxing.
- Durability that outlasts a softened, re-moulded boil-and-bite guard.
The single biggest predictor of whether a mouthguard protects you is whether you wear it. A comfortable, custom guard wins on that count alone.
From the Common to the clubs, sport is part of life here. Whether you're mountain biking the trails, training at a local boxing gym, or playing weekend rugby and hockey in and around Wimbledon Village and Merton, a mouthguard is cheap insurance for your smile. We can take an impression in a single visit and have your custom guard ready before the new season starts.
The real cost of skipping a mouthguard
It's tempting to think a mouthguard is an unnecessary expense, until you compare it with the cost of repairing dental trauma. A knocked-out or badly broken adult tooth is a dental emergency, and the treatment that follows is rarely a one-off. Here is how the numbers actually stack up at our Wimbledon practice:
| Outcome | What's involved | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Custom sports mouthguard | Prevention, a single impression and lab-made guard | One-off cost |
| Emergency appointment | Urgent exam, X-rays and immediate pain relief | £150 (new patient) |
| Root canal | Saving a traumatised front tooth | from £395 |
| Dental crown | Rebuilding a badly broken tooth | from £880 |
| Dental implant + crown | Replacing a tooth that can't be saved | from £3,100 |
In other words, the cost of not wearing a guard can run into thousands of pounds and several appointments, versus one comfortable, custom guard that lasts seasons. Prices are confirmed at your appointment; see our general dentistry and implant pages for the full lists.
Get fitted for a custom mouthguard in Wimbledon Village
Dr Elizabeth Crake and the team at The Dental Lounges Wimbledon can take your impression and have a precision-fitted sports guard ready in time for your season.
Book an appointment Explore general dentistryWhat to do if a tooth is knocked out
Even with the best preparation, accidents happen, and quick action makes a real difference to whether a tooth can be saved. If an adult tooth is knocked out:
- Handle it by the crown (the white part), never the root.
- Don't scrub it. If it's dirty, rinse briefly in milk or saliva.
- Try to reposition it gently back into the socket if you can, and bite on a clean cloth to hold it.
- If you can't, keep it moist in milk or held inside the cheek, never in plain water or dry tissue.
- Call us straight away. The sooner you're seen, the better the outcome.
Time is critical, which is why we keep same-day slots for urgent cases, read more on our emergency dentist page.
How we make your mouthguard
The process is quick and comfortable. We take a digital scan or impression, choose the right thickness and design for your sport, and the guard is crafted in the laboratory to fit you precisely, you can even pick your club colours. When it's ready, we check the fit and show you how to clean and store it. A well-cared-for custom guard sees you through season after season, alongside the routine check-ups and hygiene visits that keep your whole mouth healthy.
Whether you're a weekend warrior or a serious competitor, our team in Wimbledon Village is here to help you play hard and protect your smile.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. A custom mouthguard is made from a precise mould of your teeth, so it fits snugly, stays put and spreads impact more evenly than a shop-bought boil-and-bite version. Because it's comfortable and lets you breathe and speak, people are far more likely to actually wear it, which is what protects your teeth.
Any sport with a risk of contact, falls or flying objects benefits from one, including rugby, hockey, boxing and martial arts, football, basketball, cricket and even mountain biking on Wimbledon Common. The Oral Health Foundation recommends a mouthguard for collision and contact sports of all kinds.
A knocked-out adult tooth is a dental emergency, keep it moist in milk or saliva, don't scrub it, and get to a dentist as fast as possible. If the tooth can't be saved, replacing it usually means a crown, bridge or implant. A complete single-tooth implant replacement at our Wimbledon practice typically starts around £3,100, which is why prevention is so worthwhile.
