As we are hopefully on track to head back to “normal”, your kids may be getting ready to resume sports and other fun activities. Some of those, might increase the chance of your child chipping a tooth.
It is not that uncommon to have a chipped tooth. You may experience this unpleasant occurrence through accidents or mishaps. Some people have chips in their teeth due to poor oral health care by not brushing enough or failing to visit the dentist. Involvement in sports can also open you up to the risk of chipping your teeth. Whether you are playing a full-contact sport such as football, wrestling or boxing, or even in sports such as tennis, baseball or volleyball, broken teeth are possible. Fortunately, there are some precautions you can take to help minimize these issues.
HOW IT CAN HAPPEN
All competitive athletes understand that injuries can happen when they hit the court, field, rink or pool. Falls onto the hard ground happen frequently, especially in basketball, hockey, volleyball, soccer, skateboarding and martial arts. Many athletes who get teeth knocked out or chipped get elbowed or smacked in the mouth, either by accident or on purpose. Even a ball, puck, bat or other playing equipment can hit a player’s mouth, chipping one or more teeth.
MAKE SURE TO WEAR A HELMET
It is not practical, required or even allowed to wear helmets in many sports. However, in a sport such as football or hockey, this protective gear can save teeth from major problems. Athletes should ensure that the facemask is strong, sturdy and fitted properly. While it seems obvious that an athlete will wear this equipment in a game, as officials will require it, some players may be tempted to leave it off for practice. Helmets can come in handy in these situations as well. Even wearing a helmet in non-organized pickup games is a wise decision.
WEAR A MOUTHGUARD
To reduce the chances of getting a chipped tooth, competitive or even casual athletes should wear a mouthguard. This is a simple piece of equipment, but it can go a long way in keeping teeth intact. It is especially critical for people to wear this apparatus when there is a lot of action at or near the mouth and in fast-paced sports. Many sporting goods stores carry mouthguards that fit just about any mouth size.
PLAY SMART TO AVOID A CHIPPED TOOTH
Like any other type of injury, sometimes chipped teeth are largely unavoidable. However, when players are aware, these incidents can be avoided. Participants in any sport should play within the confines of the rules. No one should engage in dirty play or retaliation. It is all right to be aggressive, but players who play out of control tend to find themselves in harm’s way more often.
AVOID UNNECESSARY DENTAL VISITS
You should visit your dentist every six months, but no one wants to make an appointment to fix a tooth when this visit did not need to happen. Wear the proper equipment and take good care of these items. Make sure you wear a mouthguard, regardless of the sports you play. If you do these things and use some common sense and prudence, you should be able to keep teeth problems away.
WE CAN HELP
If you or someone in your family find yourself in the position of needed a chipped tooth repaired, Dr. Ben Johnson at Johnson Family Dental in Paducah is ready to help. We are conveniently located at 2913 Lone Oak Rd, Paducah, KY. To schedule an appointment, you can give us a call at (270) 554-2432 or CLICK HERE to contact us!