Don’t Give Dental Injuries a Sporting Chance

Don’t Give Dental Injuries a Sporting Chance

Athletic activities bestow many benefits on growing children. They can be good for children’s health and social lives, while helping to teach them important lessons that will be valuable long beyond childhood. Unfortunately, without proper precautions, many sports pose dangers to a child’s teeth—more sports than you might think.

The American Dental Association lists 29 sports for which people of any age should wear mouthguards. In addition to expected sports such as skateboarding and martial arts, mouthguards are recommended for some sports that might not be so obvious, such as

• gymnastics
• skiing
• volleyball
• softball
• bicycling
• soccer
• basketball

Even if your child is the only person on the team taking such precautions, it is important to make sure he or she sticks to them. Helmets with facemasks are also recommended for high-impact sports such as football, hockey and lacrosse. When your children are putting their bodies and teeth at risk, it is always better to be safe than sorry.

A child who doesn’t wear adequate head and mouth protection runs the risk of tooth loss, fracture and dislocation. Should any of these occur, the child should immediately be brought to KiDDS dental for an emergency appointment. In fact, if the tooth is recovered and the child is brought to Dr. Jared quickly enough, under the right conditions the lost tooth can actually be reattached. Handle a dislodged tooth by the crown, not the root. Keep the tooth moist in milk or an oral electrolyte solution such as Pedialyte to keep the roots alive on the way to the dentist.

To prevent tooth injury, parents should take care of their children’s teeth. Misaligned teeth are more likely to become dislodged or to cause injury in a child’s mouth. Using braces to properly align teeth can help prevent such damage. Regular dental care can also help keep the teeth and gums stronger, thus decreasing the likelihood and severity of sports-related injuries.

With proper precaution and knowledge of emergency procedures, you can be confident that your child will be able to play safely and make the most of the benefits sports can provide.

Call us to schedule an appointment today! (509)-891-7070.