Proper Care For Braces While Playing Sports

Do you have an athlete in your home who loves to play sports but is also one of the millions of patients who wears some form of orthodontics hardware? Athletes with braces carry a higher risk of injury to the mouth while playing sports. It can be nerve-wracking and expensive to deal with the consequences of mouth injury while playing. Continue reading to learn about proper care for braces while playing sports.

While any sports athlete needs to be mindful of sustaining injuries on the field, a player with braces or any dental hardware needs to be even more alert. With the popularity of adult sports leagues and adult braces on the rise, more than just teenagers can be affected by sports-related orthodontic injuries and emergencies. Even athletes who are the most cautious cannot escape injury from time to time.

What to do in Case of Injury

If a player with braces gets injured during a sporting event there are steps that can be taken to ensure the safety of the player and assess the damage sustained to the dental hardware:

Calm the athlete and evaluate them to be sure there is no head trauma such as a concussion.
Inspect the situation to check for any damage to the mouth and dental hardware (brackets and wires).
If the braces are caught in the cheeks or lips, carefully try to separate the mouth from the hardware, being careful not to cause further damage.
Use ice if needed to help with swelling and discomfort.
Contact our office to schedule an appointment for evaluation and repairs.
Use wax to temporarily fix any broken wires or brackets so as to avoid causing more trauma to the inside of the mouth.

Solution

One of the best tools to protect the athlete’s mouth during play is a mouthguard. A mouthguard helps absorb trauma and helps to eliminate injuries such as broken brackets and wires, chipped or broken teeth. A mouthguard is recommended during any physical activity. It is important to remember to care for a mouthguard as you would any form of dental equipment. It is vital to clean and disinfect a mouthguard after every use, as it can affect your oral health if it is full of bacteria.

If you have any questions about a proper mouthguard to use during activities or have an athlete who has sustained an injury to their dental hardware please contact our Ontario office today.