Sporty Smile Trouble: The Common Dental Emergencies Among Athletes

As you might know from experience, sports and exercise sometimes cause injuries. Football, basketball, skateboarding, jogging, and more – all can leave people battered and bruised. Athletes are especially at risk of dental emergencies, though; a sporty person should watch out for these incidents. Your Saratoga dentist has thus decided to share some details about sports-related smile protection. To that end, here are the common dental emergencies among athletes and how to prevent them.

3 Dental Emergencies Common Among Athletes

While athletes can suffer various mouth injuries, some of these “dental emergencies” occur more often than others. The most common ones include the following:

Chipped & Cracked Teeth

When athletes take blows to the face, a bloody nose or a split lip isn’t the only possible outcome. Such an injury could also lead to chipped or cracked teeth. If that kind of oral damage goes untreated, it’ll cause tooth pain, enamel loss, and even pain when eating or drinking.

You see, a chipped or cracked tooth usually has its pulp – the inner tooth layer with nerves – exposed. Only quick care stops such exposure from resulting in an infection.

Fractured Teeth

Besides chipped or cracked teeth, facial injuries from sports can also cause fractured teeth. The latter is when a tooth’s crack starts at the root, eventually working towards the visible enamel surface.

Fractured roots are very hard to detect, so a patient may not notice them until they get an infection. That said, see your dentist if you suspect anything; you may need a root canal.

Tooth Intrusion

Rather than knock out teeth, some sports injuries drive teeth back into the jawbone. This kind of trauma is known as an intrusion, and it can happen to athletes of all ages. Healing from it can put a sports player on the bench for a while.

Indeed, various complications can arise from a tooth intrusion. Tooth pulp destruction, root resorption, and ankylosis are just a few examples.

What Athletes Can Do to Avoid Dental Emergencies

If you’re an athlete who wants to avoid dental emergencies, try adopting the tips below:

• Use a Mouthguard – Many dentists offer custom sportsguards, which guard against cut lips, broken teeth, and other mouth damage.
• Wear a Helmet – By wearing a helmet with a faceguard, you’ll keep your smile safe while playing football, hockey, and so on.
• Avoid Distraction – As best you can, don’t become distracted while playing a sport or exercising. Getting careless will put you at risk of mouth injuries.

The common dental emergencies among athletes aren’t inevitable. Instead of letting them happen, take action so your grin stays secure.

About the Practice

Centergate Dentistry Sarasota is based in Sarasota, FL. Led by Dr. Rodolfo Ibarria, our practice has been making smiles strong, sturdy, and stunning for over 30 years. We value and offer truly comprehensive dentistry, providing everything from dental checkups and cleanings to emergency oral care. That means we’re always ready to give your grin a helping hand! For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (941)-379-7777.