SPORTS DENTISTRY

Compassionate prevention, pursuit of excellence.

What is sports dentistry?

Sports dentistry is the branch of dental medicine dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of oral health problems related to athletes’ participation in physical activity as well as the sharing of information and equipment designed to help protect the teeth, mouth, jaw, and face of athletes of all ages. It’s important to protect your child’s smile if he or she plays sports, for aesthetics as well as health reasons.

Why is sports dentistry important?

Sports dentistry plays an essential role in optimizing an athlete’s performance by helping protect their oral health. Many dental injuries occur during contact sports due to physical impact from other players or objects such as balls, bats, racquets, etc. Without proper protection, these injuries can be extremely painful, costly to repair, and even cause long-term damage to the teeth and jaw if left untreated.

What is dental trauma?

Dental trauma is an injury to the teeth, gums, and supporting structures of the mouth. It can range from a mild chipped tooth to severe damage that requires complex rehabilitation. Common causes include sports injuries, falls, motor vehicle accidents, and facial assaults. If untreated, dental trauma can lead to pain, infection, nerve damage, sensitivity to hot or cold foods and drinks, and even tooth loss. Common dental injuries in sports are tooth knocked out, tooth chipped/cracked, tooth displaced.

How can we prevent sports related injury?

One of the best ways to prevent injury to your child’s teeth and mouth is to have him or her to wear a mouthguard, helmets and facemasks while playing sports.

Dental Trauma Tips

It is not uncommon for an athlete to experience sudden dental trauma. The following dental trauma tips will help preserve the integrity of your tooth/teeth and mouth in the immediate aftermath of an incident.

If a tooth has been avulsed (knocked out completely), it is important to take extra care to avoid any additional trauma when handling the tooth.

Time is the most important factor when trying to save a tooth, so get to your dentist as soon as possible. In general, there is a 30-minute window of opportunity to re-implant the tooth in the socket.

Do not try to re-implant the tooth yourself.
The best liquid to transport a tooth in is cold milk. If milk is not available, use saliva (if possible), saline, or if nothing else is available, water. Place the tooth in Hank’s Balanced Saline Solution, milk, saline-soaked gauze or under the athlete’s tongue (but ONLY if the athlete is alert and conscious)
Don’t let the tooth dry out and don’t wrap it in anything.
Don’t touch the tooth root if you can avoid it.
Do not attempt to handle the root of the tooth
Do not brush or scrub it in any way
Do not try to sterilize the tooth
If there’s any debris present on the surface of the tooth, gently rinse it with water.

Our success is driven by word-of-mouth referrals and long-lasting client relationships.

Useful Links

Subscribe Now

Don’t miss our future updates! Get Subscribed Today!