3 Most Common Causes of Dental Trauma

Dental trauma can land you in the emergency dentist’s chair very quickly. Just like other emergencies, dental trauma comes on unexpectedly. No one plans on it, except your dentist in Thornton, CO. When you do have dental trauma emergency, you can rely on your Thornton dentist to be ready to act. Here are the three most common causes of dental trauma and advice on how to avoid them.

1. Sports Injuries

You don’t have to be a professional hockey player to wind up with dental trauma during a game. Sports injuries happen every day and everywhere, from the sports arena to the backyard. Examples of sports-incurred dental trauma include avulsed teeth, when a tooth is dislodged from its socket. This often happens on impact, such as when a piece of sports equipment (hockey stick, helmet, etc.) collides with the jaw. Mouth guards and helmets with mouth guards are a great way to avoid sports injuries to the mouth.

2. Vehicular Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents are a top reason for dental trauma emergencies. Drivers and passengers often collide with something (or someone) inside the vehicle, such as the dashboard or even flying debris from the other vehicle. These types of accidents often result in dental emergencies in the form of fractured or broken teeth. The best way to avoid dental trauma during a motor vehicle accident include wearing seatbelts the way they are intended to be worn, not just over one shoulder, or using off-market seat belt adjusters. Also, make sure the vehicle airbags are operational and any recalls have been taken care of.

3. Miscellaneous Physical Impact

Physical impact is anything that hits suddenly and hard in the orofacial area. This includes incidents such as accidental falls, fistfights, etc. These experiences often lead to dental trauma in Thornton, CO in the form of knocked out teeth, root fractures and even breakage of the jaw bone. To avoid incidents like these, consider lifestyle changes like not drinking to access, avoiding altercations and living a more simplified life.

As stated, dental trauma comes on unexpectedly. But when these things do happen, it helps to be prepared by knowing a good dental trauma dentist in Thornton, CO, so you know who to go to when an emergency happens.