Playing sports is great for your mental and physical health, but just like everything else, it also comes with some downsides. For example, your smile might be at a greater risk of certain problems. What are the most common dental emergencies among athletes, and how can they be managed or prevented? This blog post provides some helpful information.
Most Common Dental Emergencies for Athletes
As an athlete, you may be at a greater risk of suffering from the following dental emergencies:
- Partially or fully avulsed (knocked-out) tooth). A hard blow to your face may knock one of your teeth loose or even cause it to get completely dislodged.
- Tooth intrusion. This happens when a tooth is knocked into the jawbone. This is a relatively rare injury, but athletes are more likely to experience it than most other folks.
- Cracked teeth. These cracks may occur above or below the gumline. If a cracked tooth becomes infected, it could lead to significant pain and other complications.
- Chipped teeth. While a small chip is usually not an urgent emergency, the damage can worsen if no prompt treatment is provided.
Preventing Dental Emergencies
You do not have to stop playing sports in order to enjoy a healthy smile. Fortunately, most dental emergencies can be avoided via some simple precautions. For example, you should invest in a custom mouthguard. Custom mouthguards provide greater protection than over-the-counter products. They are also more comfortable, which means you are more likely to use yours whenever you are playing or practicing sports.
Another practical thing you can do is to keep all your gear in shape. For example, wearing the right pair of shoes may reduce the risk of trips and falls. A properly fitting helmet can provide an important extra layer of protection in contact sports.
Managing Dental Emergencies
If you find yourself with a dental injury, use clean gauze to control bleeding. You can also rinse your mouth with water to remove any debris. If a tooth got knocked out, touch it only by its top part. Rinse it off and then store it in your mouth or in a glass of milk. If you think your jaw is broken or dislocated, head to the ER. Otherwise, call your dentist right away. Let them know what happened. Most dentists are willing to adjust their schedule to care for urgent cases.
You deserve a healthy and strong smile! Do your best to avoid dental emergencies when you are on the field or court.
Meet the Practice
Drs. Bryan Griffith and Alex Hartgrove work together to provide emergency and general dentistry services to the Prestonsburg community. Our team works to accommodate emergency cases as soon as possible, and it is our goal to make treatment comfortable for our patients. If you would like our assistance to prevent or manage a dental emergency, contact Brookside Dental Care at 606-874-9311.