DENTAL INJURIES

A fractured tooth does not heal! Unlike bones, damaged teeth remain unsightly forever. The facts are that many traumatic injuries to teeth are preventable! All one has to do is wear a mouth guard.

While mouth guards are not required in all sports, they should be. Dentists see many oral and facial injuries that might have been prevented by the use of a mouth guard. Facial injuries in nearly every sport often results in damage to teeth, lips, cheeks and tongue. Mouth guards cushion the blow and often the particpants walk away unharmed. A mouth guard should be part of every athlete's equipment. Dentist treat many trauma injuries in weekend athletes. Whatever your age or sport, mouth guards are an important part of sports safety.

The following are the ADA's recommendations ---------
When a tooth is knocked out you should:
Immediately call your dentist for an emergency appointment.
Attempt to find the tooth.
Gently rinse, but do not scrub or touch the tooth root to remove dirt or debris.
Place the clean tooth in your mouth between the cheek and gum.
Do not attempt to replace the tooth into the socket. This could cause further damage.
Get to the dentist as soon as possible.If it is within a half hour of the injury, it may be possible to reimplant the tooth. If it is not possible to store the tooth in the mouth of the injured person because they are too young, wrap the tooth in a clean cloth or gauze and immerse in milk.

If the tooth is pushed out of place (inward or outward), it should be repositioned to its normal alignment with very light finger pressure. Do not force the tooth into the socket. Hold the tooth in place with a moist tissue or gauze. Again, it is vital that the injured individual be seen by a dentist within 30 minutes. How a fractured tooth is treated will depend on how badly it is broken. Regardless of the damage, treatment should always be determined by a dentist.