3 Types of Sports That Are Dangerous for Your Teeth

For most people, having a beautiful and healthy smile is extremely important. There are some activities that can cause damage to the teeth. Certain sports are especially prone to causing tooth damage. It is imperative that individuals do everything possible to protect their smiles and prevent accidents.

3 Types of Sports That Are Dangerous for Teeth

While many sports are excellent for cardiovascular health, some can pose a danger to a person’s teeth. Injuries are common while playing sports, and when someone is injured, they need to seek an emergency dentist near me. The following offers information on the top three types of sports that are a danger to teeth.

Extreme Sports

Some people are thrill seekers and look to push their sports to the edge of danger as often as possible. Alternative sports, like skateboarding, BMX, and even inline skating, can all lead to major injuries that may cause permanent damage to the teeth.

Contact Sports

Contact sports, like boxing, MMA, wrestling, and martial arts, all-cause various tooth injuries. The close contact and force during the match can lead to problems with the teeth, especially if they are not protected appropriately.

Stick and Ball Sports

Stick and ball sports, such as hockey, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and cricket, are all potentially dangerous for teeth. Each of these sports involves a hardball moving at a high rate of speed. Contact with the mouth by one of these balls can lead to major tooth injuries.

Common Tooth Injuries From Sports

While all sports have the potential to cause tooth injuries, the above types of sports are more likely to cause damage. The following offers some insight into the common tooth injuries that can occur when playing contact sports.

• Cracked teeth are one of the most common injuries athletes face. Cracks can range from mild and superficial to deep. In some cases, the crack is so severe it causes the tooth to break from the root. Pain with a cracked tooth will vary in severity.
• Athletes may also experience a fractured tooth root. When this type of injury occurs, the crack starts at the root level and begins to spread through the chewing surface of the tooth. Many athletes do not realize they have a root fracture until an infection begins.
• Tooth intrusion is highly damaging. With a blow to the teeth, at a certain angle, a person may experience a force that causes a tooth to be knocked back into the jawbone. This type of tooth injury often requires surgery to correct.

How to Protect Teeth During Sports

To help avoid tooth injuries, athletes need to make sure they are wearing the appropriate protective gear. Wearing a face mask and a custom-made mouthguard is essential to protect teeth. It is also important to take care of the teeth and see the dentist regularly since healthy teeth are more difficult to damage.

Conclusion

While playing sports is good for the body, some types can be a danger to your teeth. Protecting the teeth can help to ensure injuries do not occur that could cause catastrophic damage and tooth loss.

If an injury strikes, it is imperative you get to the dentist right away. Often, a dentist can treat the trauma before it grows in severity. Prompt treatment after an injury can prevent tooth loss and further damage to the jaw.