It’s that time of year again for our house.  Softball and baseball will soon begin.  I’ve coached my daughter’s softball team for ten years now and fortunately there haven’t been any mishaps with teeth on our teams.  But, accidents unfortunately occur and in many instances it does involve your teeth.  The most common misfortunes I see involve swimming, basketball, softball, baseball and other sports events.  I was told there was a dental accident just this past week at a baseball game here in Huntsville.  A study published in General Dentistry; the clinical journal of the Academy of General Dentistry reported that 3.8% of all the hospital emergency room visits were for the treatment of dental conditions.

I love sports and encourage participation when anyone shows interest, but prevention and good common sense go a long way to avoiding injury.  Custom-fitted protective mouthguards should be considered in most sports activities.  Yet, even with the best protection accidents still occur.  Following the rules and remembering dental first aid steps can help save your teeth the next time an accident occurs.

If a tooth is displaced (loose), push it back into its original position, bite down so the tooth does not move and call your dentist.  He or she may temporarily splint the tooth in place to the healthy teeth adjacent to the loose tooth.

For an avulsed (knocked out) tooth, pick the tooth up by the crown, not the root – handling the root may damage the cells necessary for bone reattachment and hinder the replant.  If there is debris on the root, lightly rinse it off under running water, but do not scrub the root for the same reason I mentioned above.  If possible, place the tooth back into the socket on site.  Make sure the tooth is facing the right direction – I actually saw a case where a tooth had been re-implanted backwards by a patient who never went to the dentist.  The implantation was successful, but the smile looked a little strange!  If you can’t get the tooth back in the socket, it is important to keep the tooth moist and not let it dry out.  A good place is under the patient’s tongue, but often this isn’t practical with children or traumatized adults.  You can also place it in a container filled with low-fat milk, saline solution or saliva.  It is imperative that you visit the dentist as soon as possible – the longer the tooth is out of the mouth, the less likely the tooth will be able to be saved.  If a tooth is re-implanted within the first hour the possibilities of success improve immensely.

Sometimes a tooth is fractured during an accident and the tissues in and around the mouth are lacerated.  If the fracture is large and you can find the piece, bring it with you to your dentist as it can sometimes be bonded back in to place.  If lacerations are present, sutures may be indicated.

As I mentioned, prevention is the key, but in case of an accident be prepared for any dental emergency.  If you are involved in sports, it is a good idea to pack an emergency dental care kit.  Items you should include or have readily available are:

• Your dentist’s phone numbers, home and office
• Handkerchief
• Gauze
• Small container with a lid
• Saline solution (a small amount of salt and water also work)
• Low-fat milk if available
• Water
• Ibuprofen

My prayer is that you never have to use your kit or have to be involved with an accident, but just in case - you will be prepared!