Sports in Dentistry
Sports dentistry is involved with preventing injuries to the soft and hard tissues of the mouth by using correctly fitted mouthguards. In spite of what you may believe, sports dentistry is for everyone – not just athletes, because many of the same injuries that occur during sports activities can happen to anyone.
Recently, the field of sports dentistry has evolved into supporting the performance of athletes by providing mouth wear to give athletes a competitive edge. Sports in dentistry is also involved with preventing oral cancer by encouraging people to stop smoking tobacco and using tobacco products.
Preventing Sports Injuries
In the past, injury prevention was mostly taken up with educating both parents and young athletes about the dangers of certain sports and the benefits of wearing mouthguards and other protective equipment over the face, head and mouth.
In short, mouthguards provide people with more than simple teeth protection, according to the American of Sports Dentistry. Mouthguards provide a cushioning effect that helps to stabilize the temporomandibular joint, which is a common area of injury. Mouthguards can also significantly lower the odds of someone experiencing an injury to their soft tissues, such as the gums and lips that surround the teeth.
Your dentist or doctor may recommend that you wear a mouthguard for any of the following activities:
- Football
- Boxing
- Basketball
- Baseball
- Wrestling
- Martial arts and more
Treating Sports Injuries
Sports dentistry is also concerned with treating athletes who have experienced injuries to their teeth and mouth during sports activities and athletic competition. When someone experiences an injury to their mouth, it can lead to disfiguring and costly impacts, as well as taking the athlete away from school and sports training while they are healing.
Injuries to the mouth caused by sports activities are often expensive, depending upon the extent and nature of the damage. The good news is that mouthguard protection prevents many sports-related injuries to the mouth.
An athlete who is injured while playing sports is not necessarily treated different than others with similar injuries. But some athletes may require treatment on a certain schedule to allow them to participate in sporting activities.
Importance of Wearing Mouthguards
Moreover, if you receive a direct blow to your face or mouth, it can cause significant tooth trauma. In addition to a tooth becoming completely knocked out, it could become chipped, cracked, dislodged, or loosened, leading to other injuries in the future. A mouthguard will help cushion the impact of a blow.
Purchase a Mouthguard
If you participate in sports, or engage in vigorous physical activity that could result in mouth trauma, you owe it to yourself to purchase a mouthguard.
Learn More
Contact any of our offices to learn more about sports dentistry. New patients are welcome.
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