How To Protect Your Teeth When Playing Sports
After another year of frigid temperatures and icy weather, we can’t wait for the arrival of spring. Spring brings about the return of many sports and outdoor activities for children and adults alike. While everyone is excited about playing with their teammates, we can’t help but worry about players remaining safe and avoiding a dental emergency. Sports-related dental injuries contribute to many of the emergencies that we see in our office during this time of year. With the increase of adult sports leagues, adults as well as children are experiencing emergencies. Continue reading to learn how to keep your family’s mouth safe while they enjoy sporting activities.
Ways to Avoid a Sports Related Dental Emergency
In the blink of an eye an injury can happen during a sporting event, leaving the player with a dental injury such as a cracked, chipped or broken tooth. With the return of spring sports, it is important to make sure that any family members who play sports during this time of year are taking the proper precautions to avoid injury. There are two safety tools that should be used to help increase the safety measures of the players:
Mouthguard
A mouthguard is beneficial to every player in every sport. Many people think mouthguards should only be used in certain sports such as football or when the player is wearing orthodontics. A proper fitting mouthguard creates a protective barrier between the teeth and incoming objects. It helps protect the mouth against cuts, fractures to the jaw, dislocation and missing teeth.
Helmet with a Face Shield
Baseball is one of the most popular sports during this time of year, and batting can actually be extremely dangerous. It is easy for a pitcher to accidently throw a wild pitch that hits the batter in the face and mouth. As players become older, a pitch to the face can cause more serious damage. One of the best ways to avoid injury is by wearing a face shield on the batter’s helmet. These have become more popular in recent years and are easy to come by at your local sporting goods store.
Even if you follow all safety precautions, a dental sports injury is always possible. It is important to remain calm and assess the situation. If you or a family member sustain a dental-related sports injury, please contact our office located in Houston, TX for assistance or to make an appointment. Stay safe!