Safety in Sports
Just a few years ago, a dental newsletter published a very unusual story. This story was about a boy who snagged his teeth on a basketball net while dunking the ball. Is this a freak accident? This is not one of them. In fact, after the article appeared, more than forty dentists wrote their own stories. They talked about promising future Michael Jordan's in the making. They had to sacrifice their front teeth in order to pursue the perfect dunk.
In older children and adults, sports injuries are very common. Dentists estimate that around one third of dental injuries occur while playing sports. Dental injuries can happen in any kind of sport. According to Donald Sadowsky D.D.S., M.P.H., Ph.D., a professor of dentistry at the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine in New York, there was a thirteen year old girl who knocked out her front tooth while bowling. "As she prepared to release her bowling ball, she slipped on water that had been spilled on the bowling alley floor. She knocked out one of her front teeth and broke another front tooth." About four fifths of dental injuries affect at least one of the two front teeth. Damage to the tongue or cheek is also common.
Protecting Yourself
If a tooth gets knocked out, it can be saved if you can get to the dentist in less than an hour. Minor chips and cracks are easily repaired. Dentists will use tooth-coloured materials that are just as strong as the original tooth. However, even minor injuries can have serious and costly damage. If you enjoy sports and high risk activities then you must make it a point to protect yourself. The use of mouth guards for football players is believed to prevent two hundred thousand mouth injuries every year. There are two basic protection gears, the helmet and the mouth guard.
The helmet is a requirement for activities that involve speed or impact. These sports include football, hockey, skating, and riding a bike. Make sure that your helmet fits correctly. It should be appropriate for the sport you play.
The mouth guard is one of the best ways to prevent an instant trip to the dentist. Donald Sadowsky suggests that you get a custom-fit mouth guard from your dentist. This type of mouth guard will fit better than a ready made mouth guard that you find in sports stores. Your teeth will be protected better this way. If a custom fit mouth guard isn't an option then try a boil and bite mouth guard. You can get these at a sporting goods store. First, you place the mouth guard in boiling water. Second, when the plastic is soft, you can bite down on the mouth guard and mould the softened plastic around your teeth. Finally, allow it to harden and you can use it already. If the mouth guard does not fit properly for the first time then you can reheat it and do the process all over again.