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Posts for tag: dental emergencies
No one participates in sports or recreational activities with the goal of oral or facial injury. However, the facts reveal two things: sports injuries are the number one cause, impacting thousands of adults and children annually and many of them can be prevented or at least minimized with education and the use of a properly fitted professional mouthguard.
In addition to the obvious negative of the physical injury to the mouth and face, oral-facial injuries can also be both emotional and psychological. And while these injuries can occur due to a multitude of reasons, a recent study found that approximately 25% occur while playing sports. The following poignant facts should raise your awareness of dental injuries.
Did you know�
- On average, 22,000 dental injuries occur annually in children under the age of 18.
- Outdoor activities and products are associated with the largest number of dental injuries to baby (primary) teeth in children aged 7 to 12 with 50% of these incidents related to bicycle accidents.
- Outdoor activities and products are also associated with the largest number of dental injuries to permanent teeth in adolescents aged 13 to 17.
- Of all sports, baseball and basketball consistently produce the largest number of dental injuries each year.
- Over 80% of all dental injuries involve the upper front teeth.
- Age, gender, condition and position of the teeth, as well as the type of sport being played are all key risk factors associated with the likelihood of experiencing a sports injury.
- Studies show that teenage boys involved in contact sports, collision sports, and high-velocity non-contact sports are at the highest risks for dental injuries.
- Young girls are starting to participate in many of these same sports, and thus their risks for injuries are climbing.
- Home furniture is the main culprit in over 50% of the dental injuries in children under the age of 7.
We encourage you to take a moment to assess your own as well as your family's risk of dental injury and to think about how you can treat and prevent them. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor article, “An Introduction To Sports Injuries & Dentistry.” Or, feel free to contact us to discuss your questions or to schedule a consultation.
Every parent, caregiver, coach, sports fan and especially injured party dreads the moment when an injury to the mouth occurs during a sporting event. The first thought observers have after looking closely to see if it is their child or someone they know is, “I hope someone knows what to do!” Do you know what to do in case of a dental sports emergency? Test your dental injury IQ with this simple, quick quiz. The answers are listed at the bottom of this article.
Dental Injury IQ
- If a tooth (including its root) is totally knocked out, what can you safely store it in while finding a dentist within 5 minutes of the injury?
- Water or salt water
- Milk (preferably cold)
- Inside the cheek (mouth) of the injured person
- All of the above
- True or False: Immediately following the injury, fresh cold tap water or bottled water is the best way to remove debris from where a tooth was knocked out.
- If a tooth has shifted from its original position following an injury, you should...
- See a dentist within 5 minutes
- See a dentist within 6 hours
- See a dentist within 12 hours
- Only see a dentist if the tooth is not better in a few days
- True or False: You treat a knocked out baby tooth in the same manner as you do a permanent tooth.
- The most important thing to do to save a tooth that has been completely knocked out of the mouth is toâ¦
- See a dentist as soon as possible
- Replant the tooth within 5 minutes
- Stop the bleeding before re-planting the tooth
- Rinse the tooth with fresh, clean water
The Answers
1) d = all of the above, 2) true, 3) b = see a dentist within 6 hours, 4) false – baby teeth are typically not replanted, 5) b = replant the tooth within 5 minutes
Want To Learn More?
Contact us today to discuss your questions or to schedule an appointment. You can also learn more about treating dental injuries when you read the Dear Doctor article, “The Field-Side Guide To Dental Injuries.” Or, you can download a FREE, pocket-sized guide for managing dental injuries.
Robert Richardson, D.D.S, F.A.G.D.
Leslie Monroe, D.D.S, F.A.G.D.
9601 Lile Drive, Suite 104
Little Rock, AR 72205
(501) 224-0144
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