If you have two kids, chances are good that one of them will injure his or her teeth before graduation. American Dental Association statistics show a 50 percent probability of a child injuring a tooth by age 18. If your child plays sports, the risks go up.
As a father, coach, and team dentist for Virginia Tech sports, Jay Bass, DDS, of NRV Family Dentistry in Blacksburg has two words of advice: mouth guards.
“An athlete has a 10 percent chance of sustaining an orofacial injury every season of play. Mouth guards are key to drastically reducing these injuries,” says Dr. Bass, a member of the Academy of Sports Dentistry. “I’ve made mouth guards for my 11-year-old son’s basketball team. Basketball has the most dental injuries. We also make custom mouth guards for Virginia Tech’s basketball, baseball, football, softball, wrestling, and lacrosse teams.”
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends mouth guards for all children and youth participating in sports activities, including bicycling.
But not all mouth guards are equal. Although Dr. Bass says the “boil and bite” mouth guards sold at sporting goods stores are better than nothing, they don’t fit or protect the teeth as well. “If they make talking difficult and don’t fit well, players will take them out,” Dr. Bass says. “Mouth guards custom made by a dentist fit well, don’t move around, and are much more effective.”
Dr. Bass, who has been voted best New River Valley dentist for the past three years, will make athletes two custom mouth guards and a mold for replacements for $125. The costs of injury are much higher: A root canal costs about $800, a crown $1,200, and as much as $5000 for an implant. A growing number of sports medicine and sports dentistry professionals are also suggesting that, in addition to preventing dental injuries, custom mouth guards may reduce the number and severity of concussions. “With some types of blows, mouth guards may act as shock absorbers,” Dr. Bass says. “There’s a lot of research on that now.”
Dental Injuries – What to Do
Sometimes, despite all intentions, dental injuries happen. The first thing a parent needs to determine is whether a dentist needs to be contacted immediately or if treatment can wait until the next day. A minor tooth fracture involves chipping of the enamel only, while a serious fracture exposes the pink dentin and pulp tissue. The latter should be treated promptly.
When a permanent tooth is knocked out, it is an emergency. If the child isn’t likely to swallow the tooth, rinse the tooth with milk or saline solution and try to place it back into the tooth socket. Biting down on gauze over the tooth can hold it in place. If you can’t do that, save the tooth in a container of whole milk or sterile saline solution (contact lens saline solution). Handle the tooth by its crown only. Do not clean the tooth with alcohol, peroxide, or put it in tap water, which contains chemicals that will damage the ligaments, Dr. Bass says. “The sooner you see a dentist, the better – you have a two hour window of time to re-insert the tooth,” says Dr. Bass.
Less dramatic injuries should be checked out within the next day or so. Baby teeth are not re-inserted, although the child should be treated for pain and possible infection. With some trauma, damage may not be visible for five or 10 years. A dentist can take x-rays and monitor changes, perhaps saving the tooth as well as pain and expense. Eighty percent of dental trauma is to the top front teeth, the smile teeth, which can have a lasting effect on a child’s appearance and self-confidence. “If you have any doubts, call your dentist,” Dr. Bass says. “When parents start out saying, ‘this may be a stupid question…’ I tell them, there are no stupid questions if your child is injured.”
Jay Bass practices in Blacksburg at www.nrvfamilydentistry.com
