The Invisible Risk: Study Reveals High Bacterial Buildup on Youth Mouthguards

New research reveals that standard rinsing fails to clean sports mouthguards. Discover the 17 types of bacteria found and the most effective way to sanitize them.

By: AXL Media

Published: May 2, 2026, 4:42 AM EDT

Source: RNZ Pacific

Advanced Imaging Reveals "Grooves and Pits"

The research focused on under-12 Australian rules football players, examining both the mouthguards and their storage cases using advanced microscopic imaging. The findings revealed that over time, the physical demands of sport—combined with common habits like chewing on the material—create microscopic scratches, grooves, and pits.

These tiny structural failures serve as ideal "hiding places" for bacteria to attach and multiply. Even mouthguards that appear clean to the naked eye were found to be heavily colonized by microbial communities that are resilient to standard cleaning methods.

17 Potentially Harmful Bacteria Identified

The study identified 17 distinct types of potentially harmful bacteria on the sampled mouthguards. Notably, many of these bacteria were not present in the players' own mouths, suggesting they were introduced from external environments, such as the bottom of sports bags, muddy pockets, or contaminated storage cases. The identified strains are linked to several health issues, including:

Oral Health: Gum disease, tooth decay, and oral infections.