RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Summertime can mean a lot of outdoor activities, and local dentists are warning kids to protect their teeth from serious injuries while they play.
Experts at VCU School of Dentistry say they see an uptick in dental injuries during the summer, largely due to high action sports like basketball, bicycling, roller skating, water polo and jumping on trampolines.
Dentists say all of these activities have led to mild or severe dental injuries that are often caused by something colliding with someone’s face, like a ball.
For some injuries, like crown fractures and dental avulsions, teeth can be saved if they are replanted in the socket as quickly as possible.
Crown fractures happen when a piece of the tooth is broken off, while a dental avulsion is when an entire tooth is knocked out of the mouth.
Other common dental injuries from sports are “horizontal roof fractures,” which happen when the root of the tooth cracks below the level of the bone.
To avoid a trip to the dentist, kids should to “guard their grill” and use mouth guards when playing active or competitive sports this summer.
If your child does get hurt and damages their teeth, see a dentist or doctor as soon as possible.
