Play it safe: Protect your teeth this sports season

Fall sports season is in full swing here in Nashville. The Titans are making Nashville proud across the river at LP field. The Predators have returned to Smashville. And little league and high school sports are keeping families busy each weekend.

While we love the excitement and joy fall sports bring, we’ve also seen how they can quickly lead to injuries or broken teeth that no one smiles about (unless you wear it as a badge of pride like a hockey player). Whether you or your little one are hitting the field this weekend, here are a few simple ways to protect your teeth and avoid any pain or embarrassment:

1. Use a mouthguard that fits. The best way to keep your teeth safe while playing sports is to wear a mouthguard that fits properly. A good quality mouthguard that fits, not only protects your teeth, but also protects your cheeks and gums. Here’s a list of options if you’re looking for a mouthguard that will effectively protect your teeth.

It’s equally important to consistently clean your mouthguard to prevent plaque build up.

2. Proper face protection should always be worn during higher contact sports. More elaborate protective equipment is recommended for sports such as football, baseball, hockey, wrestling, boxing, and lacrosse.

If you’re a parent, you know how challenging it can be to encourage kids to always wear the proper protection, but doing so can prevent serious damage to their teeth.

How to treat a broken or lost tooth:

Despite our best intentions to prevent injuries, there will always be instances when people break or lose teeth. If you aren’t wearing protection and have a tooth knocked out, there are still ways to save your tooth. Sometimes a knocked out tooth can be re-implanted in the mouth if the conditions are right.

If only a portion of the tooth is chipped, our cosmetic bonding procedure can quickly help correct the problem and have you smiling again. If the problem is more serious and you’ve lost a tooth, we can help you solve that issue too.

For children who have a baby tooth knocked out, it shouldn’t be re-implanted as this can harm the permanent tooth bud that is still being formed. This means you should not try to put the tooth back in and instead, should seek advice from a dentist or a physician if there are other injuries.

The best thing you can do to prevent long-term damage to your teeth after a sports injury is to be prepared. Our offices open early at 7:00 am on Monday to help you with any injuries that may have occurred over the weekend. If you or your child experiences a dental injury, you can contact us as soon as possible and we’ll do everything we can to help solve the issue.