If you’re an athlete, you may often find yourself pushing your body to the limit. But whether you’re playing contact sports like football or hockey, or you prefer solo activities like running, cycling, or swimming, your teeth are at risk of injury! This isn’t meant to scare you, though – just like how you prepare for your sport, you can also prepare yourself for potential dental injuries by taking certain precautions. Here’s a closer look at some of the most common dental injuries among athletes, along with how they can easily be prevented.
Common Dental Injuries That Athletes Often Experience
Anyone can experience a dental injury, but athletes tend to be at a much higher risk due to the nature of most sports and physical activities. Some of the most common ones include:
- Knocked-Out Teeth – A knocked-out tooth is one of the most common sports-related dental injuries, and also one of the most serious. Teeth normally have the best chance of being replanted within an hour of being displaced.
- Cracked or Fractured Teeth – A strong impact to the mouth doesn’t always knock the tooth out; sometimes it remains inside the mouth but becomes severely cracked or chipped to the point where the roots or pulp are affected.
- Soft Tissue Injuries – Not all sports injuries affect the teeth; the gums, lips, tongue, and other soft oral tissues can become cut, bruised, or otherwise damaged.
- Tooth Intrusions – This refers to when teeth are driven back into the jaw, rather than getting displaced. It is more common in baby teeth but can happen to athletes of all ages and lead to long-term issues.
Advice for Preventing Sudden Dental Injuries
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to fully prevent dental emergencies – but there’s still quite a lot you can do to safeguard your smile and lessen the likelihood of one occurring. An athletic mouthguard, sometimes referred to as a sportsguard, is perhaps the best investment any athlete can make in their smile. These devices are designed to be worn over the teeth during sports, and when there is impact to the teeth, they redistribute the force amongst the whole mouth, rather than the point of contact. This reduces the amount of strain placed on single teeth, lessening the chances of one sustaining a serious injury.
Most dentists are able to provide patients with custom-made mouthguards that are more comfortable and durable than store-bought varieties, though, wearing any sort of mouthguard is preferable to not wearing one. It’s also wise to have a plan for when dental emergencies unfold – knowing you have a trusted emergency dentist you can contact when your smile is at stake can give you the peace of mind to continue your athletic career!
About the Practice
Our team here at Webster Lake Dental has proudly served the dental needs of patients and families in the Webster, MA community for several years, offering a wide variety of services including same-day emergency care and evening appointments for patients with urgent needs. If you or a loved one has sustained a dental injury, please don’t hesitate to contact our practice at once for assistance. Telephone: (508) 943-8111.