How to Mould a Mouthguard
How to Mould a Mouthguard
You know pretty quickly when a gum shield hasn't moulded properly. It drops away from your teeth when you open your mouth, you're biting down just to keep it in place and calling anything at training suddenly becomes harder than it needs to be.
Moulding a gum shield is simple enough, but getting the fit right matters. A well-fitted mouthguard should sit securely around your teeth without you constantly clenching it, while still allowing you to breathe and communicate comfortably when training or playing.
The important bit before you start: check the instructions for your specific gum shield. Different boil-and-bite mouthguards use different materials and fitting systems, so there isn't one boiling time or method that works for every model.
How to Mould a Gum Shield
For most boil-and-bite gum shields, the process looks something like this:
- Read the fitting instructions supplied with your gum shield.
- Heat the water exactly as directed.
- Place the gum shield in the hot water for the stated time.
- Remove it carefully and allow it to cool briefly if instructed.
- Centre it over your upper teeth.
- Bite down and mould the material firmly around your teeth and gums.
- Cool the gum shield in cold water.
- Check the fit and remould it if your model allows it.
That is the short version. Getting each bit right is what stops your gum shield becoming the thing you spend 80 minutes chewing.
What Do You Need to Mould a Gum Shield?
Get everything together before you start. Once the mouthguard has softened, you don't want to be searching the kitchen for a spoon while it slowly returns to its original shape.
- Your gum shield and its fitting instructions
- A heatproof bowl or mug, depending on the instructions
- Hot water
- A spoon or the fitting tool supplied with the mouthguard
- A timer
- A bowl or mug of cold water
- A mirror
Some modern mouthguards come with their own fitting cage or handle. Use it. It is there to help position the guard properly and can make getting an even mould considerably easier.
How to Fit a Gum Shield Step by Step
1. Check the instructions before heating anything
This is the step people are most tempted to skip.
Not every gum shield should spend the same amount of time in hot water. Some models use freshly boiled water, others have slightly different fitting processes, and leaving a mouthguard in for too long can distort or damage the material.
If you've just bought one of our rugby mouthguards, keep the packaging until you've finished the fitting. That little instruction sheet is more useful right now than the bin.
2. Soften the gum shield
Prepare the water exactly as the manufacturer tells you, place the gum shield into it and start a timer.
Don't guess this bit. Thirty seconds can be correct for one mouthguard and wrong for another.
3. Remove it carefully
Use the supplied handle, fitting cage or a spoon rather than sticking your fingers straight into very hot water.
Some manufacturers tell you to shake, drain or briefly cool the guard before putting it into your mouth. Follow that step too. You want the material soft enough to mould, not hot enough to make the whole experience memorable for the wrong reason.
4. Centre it over your teeth
Most standard sports gum shields fit over the upper teeth. Position it centrally before you bite down.
A mirror helps. If you start with the guard sitting off to one side, you're going to mould it off to one side as well.
5. Bite, suck and press
This is where the fit is made.
Bite down firmly as directed by the manufacturer. Depending on the design, you may also need to suck the guard tightly around your teeth and use your fingers, cheeks or tongue to press the softened material into shape.
Keep the pressure even. You're looking for a close impression around the teeth rather than seeing how far you can bite through the material.
6. Cool the gum shield
Once the mould has been made, remove the guard and cool it according to the instructions, usually using cold water. This sets the shape you've just created.
Give it the full cooling time rather than putting it straight back in and fiddling with it.
7. Check the fit
Put it back in once it has set. Open your mouth. Say a few words. Breathe normally.
If the gum shield immediately drops away from your upper teeth unless you're biting down, the fit probably isn't right. Check whether your model can be remoulded and have another go if necessary.
How Should a Gum Shield Fit?
A good gum shield should feel snug and secure around your teeth. You shouldn't have to spend the whole match clamping your jaw shut to stop it falling out.
World Rugby highlights retention as an important part of mouthguard fit. In practical terms, that means the guard should stay where it is meant to be and fit closely enough to do its job properly.
You should also be able to breathe and communicate with it in. It will always feel like you've got something in your mouth, particularly if you're new to wearing one, but it shouldn't be so loose or bulky that you're constantly taking it out between phases.
How Long Should You Boil a Gum Shield?
There isn't one correct boiling time for every gum shield.
This is where a lot of generic fitting guides go wrong. Different mouthguards can require different water temperatures, timings and fitting methods. Some aren't even designed to sit in actively boiling water.
Use the exact time given by the manufacturer for your model. If the instructions say 20 seconds, don't decide 40 will give you twice the mould.
Why Does My Gum Shield Keep Falling Out?
If the guard drops away every time you open your mouth, the mould may not be tight enough around your teeth.
It could have been positioned badly, not softened correctly or not pressed closely enough around the teeth during fitting. Size can also be an issue, particularly with junior players moving between children's and adult mouthguards.
For younger players, our kids' rugby mouthguards give you a better place to start than simply trying to make an adult guard work in a smaller mouth.
If your gum shield can be remoulded, follow the manufacturer's process again. If repeated fitting still leaves it loose, uncomfortable or obviously the wrong size, a different model may suit you better.
What If Your Gum Shield Makes You Gag?
This comes up a lot, particularly with players who haven't worn one for a while.
First make sure the gum shield is fitted and positioned correctly. A guard that is sitting badly or moving around is going to feel more intrusive than one that stays put.
Don't start trimming pieces off it unless the manufacturer specifically says that model can be altered. Cutting a protective product because somebody else did it at training isn't a great fitting strategy.
If the size is right and the fit is secure but it still feels strange, give yourself some time with it away from matchday.
How Do You Get Used to Wearing a Gum Shield?
Don't make kick-off your first proper test.
Wear the gum shield during the warm-up, handling drills and parts of training before you take it into a match. Talk with it in. Run with it. Get your breathing up. Do a few contact drills.
Players in the rugby discussion we looked at described needing time to get comfortable with a mouthguard again after periods without one, and that's a much better problem to sort on a Tuesday night than five minutes before kick-off.
Can You Remould a Gum Shield?
Many boil-and-bite mouthguards can be moulded again if the first fit isn't right, but don't assume yours can.
Check the instructions for that particular product before reheating it. Some brands specifically design their mouthguards to be remoulded, while other materials or fitting systems may have different limits.
If it can be remoulded, use exactly the same fitting process again rather than making the water hotter or leaving it in longer in an attempt to force a better result.
Can You Mould a Gum Shield With Braces?
Use a gum shield made specifically for braces.
Fixed braces need extra room and the fit may need to accommodate movement during orthodontic treatment. Don't take a standard boil-and-bite gum shield and simply try to mould it tightly over the brackets.
Follow the instructions supplied with the braces-specific mouthguard and speak to your dentist or orthodontist if you're unsure what is suitable during treatment.
How Often Should You Replace a Gum Shield?
There isn't much glory in inspecting a gum shield after training, but it takes about five seconds.
Look for splits, holes, areas that have become thin, distortion or a fit that has noticeably changed. Junior players should have the fit checked particularly regularly because their teeth and jaw are still developing.
If the guard no longer stays securely in place or has been significantly damaged, it's time to replace it rather than trying to stretch another season out of it.
How to Clean and Store a Gum Shield
Rinse it after use, clean it according to the manufacturer's instructions and let it dry before putting it away. Store it in a ventilated case rather than loose at the bottom of the kit bag alongside muddy tape and whatever has been living in there since last Saturday.
And try not to put it through the washing machine in your shorts. Plenty have gone that way.
One Last Fit Check Before Training
Put the gum shield in before you head out. Open your mouth, talk, breathe and move around with it.
If it stays securely around your teeth without you constantly biting down, feels comfortable enough to keep in and lets you get through a proper warm-up without wanting to throw it back into the changing room, you're in a much better place.
Need a new one? Browse adult rugby mouthguards or kids' rugby mouthguards at Pro:Direct Rugby.
