How to Prevent Trauma to Your Teeth
Sometimes unforeseen circumstances happen and mouth trauma occurs. Common injuries include broken, chipped, or cracked teeth, as well as teeth that become dislodged or knocked out. Serious injuries may require emergency dental care or an unplanned dental visit. Trauma can also affect more than just your teeth and may involve your lips, tongue, or cheeks. In many cases, preventive care and simple precautions can help reduce the risk of injury.
Tips for Preventing Tooth Injuries
Wear a Mouthguard
A mouthguard serves many purposes. When playing contact or high-impact sports, both children and adults should wear mouthguards to help prevent tooth injuries. A night guard can also be worn during sleep to help protect teeth for people who grind or clench at night.
Wear Protective Sports Equipment
Some sports carry a higher risk of facial or dental injuries, including football, hockey, rugby, and baseball. Wearing a helmet and, when appropriate, a face cage or face guard can help protect your face and teeth. Even when a face guard is not used, a helmet can still reduce the risk of concussions and other serious injuries.
Likewise, if you are skating or biking, wearing a helmet is an important preventive step. Depending on the design, helmets can help prevent facial injuries, and they can also save your life or prevent serious head trauma.
Avoid Certain Foods and Habits
Chewing on hard objects like pencils or eating very hard foods such as ice or hard candy can damage your teeth. Many tooth injuries happen when people bite down on hard foods like nuts. Breaking these habits can go a long way toward preventing tooth injuries.
Wear Seat Belts and Use Car Seats
Wearing a seat belt can save your life or the life of a loved one in an automobile accident. Seat belts also help prevent injuries to the jaw, face, and nose. Even minor accidents can cause serious injuries. Small children are much safer when they are properly restrained in an approved car seat that is correctly installed in the vehicle.
Wear a Hard Hat on the Job
If you work in an industrial or construction environment, a hard hat can protect you from potential accidents and falling objects. In many work zones, they are required for good reason.
Supervise Young Children
Young children are especially prone to dental injuries. Supervising them during risky activities can help prevent many accidents. When babies begin walking, make sure they are not holding objects that could injure their mouth or teeth if they fall. Even a toy or a sippy cup can cause injury. Many small children also slip in the bathtub and hurt their mouth or teeth. Installing safety gates, padding sharp furniture corners, and taking other childproofing steps can help reduce the risk of mouth trauma.
Let Us Help You
Wearing mouthguards and protective gear, supervising small children, and using seat belts can go a long way toward preventing mouth trauma and injuries. If you or a family member does experience a dental injury or needs emergency dental care, please call our office. We are here to help take care of your family’s teeth and oral health.
Trauma to the teeth and mouth can become very serious. These tips from Dr. Stephen Petinge are designed to help you reduce the risk and protect your smile.