Teeth are susceptible to damage. Luckily, in many cases, tooth damage is repairable. To avoid potential tooth damage, and the associated pain and dental expenses, you can take preventive measures to protect your teeth. The first thing is to understand the causes of dental trauma. A few categories make up the most common causes of dental trauma. They include:
- Sports injuries
- Fighting
- Falls
- Car and motorcycle accidents
- Bicycling injuries
If you’ve sustained dental trauma, contact Dr. Michael Hsu at 410.690.4855 for emergency dental trauma services from Columbia Smiles.
Sports as a Major Cause of Dental Injuries
It’s no surprise that sports lead the list of culprits when it comes to the causes of dental trauma. Nearly every sport involves some risk of dental injury. Getting hit with a baseball or repeatedly tackled in football are obvious causes of dental injuries. There is one sport that often flies under the radar when it comes to protecting the face: basketball.
In fact, basketball is one of the more common sports to cause mouth injuries. Since it isn’t thought of as a contact sport in the way football or rugby are, most players don’t wear mouthguards. However, fighting for a rebound or driving hard to the basket can easily result in tooth damage when elbows start flying. Wearing a mouthguard, even when just playing recreationally, is the best way to prevent oral trauma in basketball and other contact sports.
Since some risk is inherent to playing sports, it is also good to have a plan in place should injury occur. You may not think of oral injuries as needing emergency treatment or a trip to the ER. However, it’s important to seek dental attention sooner than later for your teeth. Many dentists offer or even specialize in reconstructive or emergency dentistry. The more you know ahead of the big game, even if that just means you and your pals in the park, the better off you’ll be.
Fighting and Falls as Causes of Dental Injury
Two other causes of dental injuries include fighting and falls. Most adults probably find their life relatively devoid of fistfights and petty violence. The same may not be true for kids and young adults who may find themselves in a playground altercation. Fighting is a definite cause of dental injury.
For starters, the mouth and face are time-honored targets for punching. While it may not be a life-threatening kind of violence, we still try to teach our kids on methods for deescalating tensions, and ways to avoid fighting at school or on the playground.
Beyond fighting, falls are something that anyone can experience. Slipping on an icy sidewalk or stumbling down the stairs could end with a dislodged tooth. Many times, falls are purely accidents. Staying active and exercising regularly can improve coordination and strength, and hopefully prevent an incident.
Car Accidents as Another Cause of Mouth Injuries
Car accidents used to be the top cause of mouth injuries. That’s no longer the case, largely due to numerous safety features in modern vehicles. Nonetheless, those safety features are only good if you use them. Wearing a seatbelt is a must.
Bicycling and motorcycling are related causes of mouth injuries. This is especially true when people fail to wear a helmet. The best prevention is to always wear a helmet. Bicyclists may also consider a mouthguard, particularly if they are mountain biking or on uneven terrain.
Repair Dental Trauma with Columbia Smiles
All injuries are unfortunate and possibly painful. With dental trauma, the physical pain is often matched with emotional distress. Nobody likes having their perfect smile ruined by a missing front tooth or a cracked molar. The team at Columbia Smiles, led by Dr. Michael Hsu, is here to treat any dental trauma you may experience. Our services and customer care are ready to make sure that your smile gets back to its best and brightest.
Contact 410.690.4855 to learn more about the causes of dental trauma, how to avoid them, and what we can do to help when something does happen.
