Sometimes unforeseen circumstances happen, and mouth trauma occurs. Common trauma can include a broken, chipped, or cracked tooth, or a tooth that becomes dislodged or knocked out. Serious injuries may mean emergency dental care or an unplanned dental visit. Trauma can often involve more than your teeth and affect your lips, tongue, or cheeks. Sometimes preventive care can help prevent trauma to your teeth.
Tips for Preventing Tooth Injuries
Wear a Mouthguard
A mouthguard serves many purposes. When playing rigorous sports, kids and adults should wear mouthguards. They can help prevent tooth injuries. A night guard is worn at night to help to prevent tooth injuries for those who grind their teeth during sleep.
Wear Protective Sports Equipment
Some sports have more potential for causing facial or tooth trauma. Football, hockey, rugby, and baseball are rigorous enough that your teeth and face are in danger. You can protect your facial area by wearing a face cage and helmet. Sometimes face guards can be worn in conjunction with a helmet. Without the faceguard, a helmet also protects the head. Even though it might not protect mouth and tooth injuries, it can reduce concussions and other serious injuries.
Likewise, if you are skating or biking, wearing a helmet can be great preventive care. Depending on their design, they can help prevent facial injuries. But they can also save your life or prevent a serious head injury.
Avoid Some Foods
Chewing on hard objects like pencils or eating hard foods like ice or candy can cause damage to your teeth. There are a lot of tooth injuries that occur when someone eats hard foods like nuts. Chewing on hard objects can injure a tooth. Stopping these habits can help prevent tooth injuries.
Wear Seat Belts and Use Car Seats
Wearing a seatbelt could save your life or the life of your loved one should you be in an automobile accident. They can also help prevent injuries to the jaw, face, and nose. Even minor accidents can lead to serious injuries. Small children can be spared serious injuries by being restrained in an approved car seat that is properly fastened into the vehicle.
Wear a Hard Hat on the Job
If you work behind a desk, this may not apply to you. However, if you work in an industrial area or construction area a hard hat can protect you from potential accidents. They are required in some work zones.
Supervise Young Children
Young children are very susceptible to injuring their teeth. Supervising them when they engage in risky activities can help prevent many injuries. When babies begin walking, make sure they don’t have objects in their hands that could cause damage to their teeth or mouth if they were to fall. A toy or even a sippy cup can cause injury to a tooth. Many small children slip in the bathtub and injure a tooth or their mouth. Installing safety gates can keep them out of areas too dangerous for them to play in. Padding on sharp corners on furniture can help protect small children from mouth trauma. Taking preventive measures can help prevent tooth injury for small children.
Let us help YOU!
Wearing mouth guards and other types of protective gear, supervising small children, and wearing seatbelts can go a long way when it comes to preventing mouth trauma and injuries. If you do need emergency dental care, or injure your mouth or a tooth, please call our offices. Let us help you take care of your family’s mouth and teeth.
Trauma to the teeth and mouth can turn very serious. Here are a few tips from Stephen Petinge, DMD to help you prevent mouth trauma.
