At R60, a gum guard is the cheapest insurance in sport. A single accidental contact in sparring can cost a front tooth, and dental work on a knocked-out tooth runs into many thousands of rand — often over a lifetime of replacements.
This is the boil-and-bite type: soften it in hot water, bite down, and it moulds to your own teeth. Available in Junior and Senior.
Fitting it properly
A badly fitted gum guard is uncomfortable enough that people stop wearing it, which defeats the purpose. Take the three minutes to fit it correctly:
- Boil water, then take it off the heat and let it stand for about 30 seconds.
- Submerge the guard for 20–30 seconds — follow the packaging timing, as over-softening ruins the shape.
- Lift it out, dip briefly in cold water so it does not burn your mouth.
- Bite down firmly and evenly, then suck in and press it against your teeth and gums with your tongue and fingers for about 20 seconds.
- Drop it into cold water to set.
If the fit is wrong you can usually reheat and remould once. It should stay in place without you clenching your jaw to hold it there.
Junior or Senior?
Junior suits children roughly up to age 10 and anyone with a smaller jaw. Senior covers older children, teenagers and adults.
One important note for parents: a child who is still losing baby teeth or has teeth actively coming through will need refitting or replacing more often than you expect. Check the fit each term rather than assuming last year's guard still works.
Hygiene and replacement
Rinse it in cool water before and after every use and store it in a ventilated case, not loose in a kit bag. Never rinse it in hot water — heat softens the material and destroys the moulded fit.
Replace it if it cracks, tears, or no longer holds position, and replace a child's guard whenever their teeth have changed. Braces need a specific orthodontic guard, so speak to your dentist if that applies. Add karate mitts and shin and instep guards to complete a sparring kit.
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