STAYING SAFE ON THE SPORTS FIELD

STAYING SAFE  ON THE SPORTS FIELD

Sports season has now well and truly kicked off! Be it footy, soccer or basketball, with it come the risks of oral and facial injuries. Would you know how to prevent or treat these on the field?

CHIPPED OR BROKEN TEETH
These teeth may be painful to cold, hot and biting.
Always check for any fragments, and if found take them to your dentist. These may help to check if any small pieces are still missing or may be lodged in the lip, swallowed or inhaled. In some cases they can be reattached to the tooth. Otherwise broken tooth may be covered with a filling or a cap.

LOOSENED OR PUSHED OUT OF POSITION TEETH
Re-position the tooth into the correct position as soon as possible. Stabilize it by finger pressure or by biting down on a tissue until you get to the dentist, who may splint the tooth to ensure it ‘settles’ in its correct position.

KNOCKED OUT TOOTH
Tooth has the best chance of surviving if reinserted within 20 minutes of accident.
Hold it by the white crown NOT THE ROOT. If dirty – rinse with your own saliva, milk, saline or if nothing available water.
If you can – reinsert the tooth into its socket and see a dentist  ASAP. Otherwise keep the tooth in saliva/mouth or milk/saline and let a dentist re-position it as soon as possible.
DO NOT store tooth in dry gauze/tissue
DO NOT touch or scrape the root
DO NOT sterilize the tooth – this will kill off little fibers that reattach root to the jaw bone.

Always remember to take precaution while playing and wear a well-fitting mouthguard!