Emergency Treatments for dental injuries during sports :-
- According to the study it is known that one of the high incidence of sports-related injuries are dental injuries, it is important that basic health care providers such as school nurses, athletic trainers, team physicians and emergency personnel are trained in the assessment and management of dental injuries.
- Immediate treatment at sporting events are needed for injuries such as displaced teeth, avulsed teeth, lacerations, and crown fractures.
- Every patient must be evaluated immediately for airway obstruction and then the injured area washed with sterile water and dabbed with guaze.
- Primary or baby teeth should never be replanted. Replanting should only be attempted for intact, permanent teeth.
- Replantation of an avulsed tooth should occur with 5 to 10 minutes.
If you are unable to replant immediately then the intact tooth or tooth remnants should be kept in a storage media such as:-
cold milk (skim milk, preferably)
saliva (inside the patient’s cheek)
saline or
water.
PREVENTION :-
The most basic and important method to prevent a dental injury is by wearing a MOUTH GUARD(Get your mouth guards checked by your dentist).
There are three types of mouth guards.
- Stock Mouth guards
- Mouth-Formed Protectors
- Custom Made Mouth guards
Helmets and headgear can also be used to prevent dental injuries.
IMPORTANT RULES WHEN MANAGING DENTAL INJURIES
- DO NOT store the tooth in dry gauze of tissue
- DO NOT touch the roots (yellow area)
- DO NOT scrape or rub the root surface
- DO NOT scrub the tooth
- DO NOT sterilise the tooth
- DO NOT let tooth dry out
