Most Dangerous Games and Activities for Your Teeth
People (especially your dentist) will often discuss foods that are particularly harmful to your teeth. Foods high in sugar and acids can speed up the aging process and promote decay, wearing down enamel and tooth volume. There are also specific sports and activities that people take part in on a daily basis that jeopardize the well-being of your teeth and compromise your oral health.
Stay Away from Sports with Sticks
This can include baseball (even though it’s called a bat), hockey (both ice and field), and cricket. Hockey is especially dangerous because players like to play it tough and go out without mouth protection. Mouth guards have come a long way in appearance and comfort, which is why you should think twice about taking part in any sport without one. A mouth guard can come in handy if you happen to catch an elbow or the business end of a field hockey stick.
Alternative Sports Put You at Unique Risk
We know there’s appeal to alternative sports like skateboarding and snowboarding. We don’t hear too much about rollerblading out here — maybe that’s more of a west coast thing. Urban settings especially pose more risk than grassy fields with a little more forgiveness. When you fall on a skateboard, you can hit your mouth on the pavement, or even a handrail. This is true for snowboarding if you ride the park more than the backcountry. You can easily knock out a tooth or loosen a section of teeth on a handrail showing off in front of your friends.
Surprisingly, MMA and Boxing are Less Dangerous than You Would Think
It’s regulation in most forms of fighting for the participants to wear gloves and a protective mouthguard, so it makes it less likely that a person will suffer from an injury or have to make an emergency dental visit. This means that mouthguards are doing their jobs. It’s understood in these sports that there is a risk to the oral health of participants, so fewer injuries occur. Which also has to do with why…
Basketball is the Most Dangerous Sport / Activity for Your Teeth
It surprises many that basketball is the most dangerous sport for a person’s teeth. Many players skip wearing a mouthguard. Basketball is extremely physical, despite popular belief. When players meet in the key, elbows get thrown around, and players exert force while trying to gain position. Take a look at this year’s NBA playoffs. Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas lost his tooth during this second round brawl with the Washington Wizards. He had to have oral surgery before game two. Even in game two, Thomas fell flat on his face. Luckily his dentist made a custom mouth guard which protected Isaiah from compromising the work that had already been done.
Contact CITIDental Brookline today to learn more about preventive dentistry and the ways that you can protect your smile. Good oral health is inextricably linked to good overall health, and there are many ways we can help you enjoy both.
