Tooth guards are worth more than a few bucks
If you’re a professional athlete, or a weekend warrior, if you are in the game, you run the risk of dental trauma. Especially in contact sports like football or rugby. Injuries to the head and mouth region are one of the most common kinds of sporting injuries. Dental trauma in sports is often combined with head or facial injuries and, though most of the time those injuries may not be disabling, injuries to the teeth are both physically and psychologically distressing, more so because teeth lost in sports injuries are usually front teeth. Dentists can now create a robust business from the specialized practice of treating just athletes, and billing themselves as ‘sports dentists’.
Preventing dental trauma while playing
People involved in contact sports are usually advised to wear a “mouth guard.” Simply putting on a mouth guards brings down the incidence of dental trauma by more than two thirds.
Mouth guards come in various types. The simplest mouth guard routinely available in sports goods stores is the ‘stock’ mouthguard. These are inexpensive but don’t fit very well and have to be held in the mouth by biting down on them. They also tend to loose their shape much faster.
A better option is a “boil and bite” guard. After boiling in water, these guards become soft enough to bite into, so they have a chance to mold themselves to the wearers teeth. These are appropriate for younger athletes who are still growing, and those who wear braces since they can easily be replaced and have a much more comfortable fit.
Custom made mouth guards are the best kind. Some Plano dentists specially design these to precisely fit the patient’s jaw, making them more protective and very comfortable and retentive. Molded from a plastic with a more even thickness, custom mouth guards will have contact will each individual tooth, providing the maximum amount of protection. Sports dentist strongly recommend custom-made mouth guards.
Caring for dental injuries
No dental injury is too small. Seemingly minor, niggling injuries may often underlie irreversible damage to the vitality of teeth or even a concussion. Call an experienced Frisco dentist today for a consultation.
Loosening of a tooth, pain on chewing, slow discoloration, or a pustule on the gum could all mean a damaged tooth. If a tooth gets knocked out, don’t waste any time in getting the tooth and the patient to a dentist right away. It’s best if it can simply be slid back immediately into the socket. If not, it should be kept in saliva in the mouth or milk and brought to a dentist immediately. If some teeth are loosened, they should be held in place by using the splinting material in dental emergency kits. Any bits and pieces chipped off should be collected for your dentist in Fort Worth, Texas to review and repair.
