How to Keep Orthodontic Appliances Safe While Playing Sports?

1. How to Keep Orthodontic Appliances Safe While Playing Sports? Playing sports or being active is essential to maintain your health and overall well-being. However, participating in sports can also be risky and introduce potential risks to your well-being, including your teeth and jaw, especially when undergoing an orthodontic treatment. Taking proactive measures to protect your smile and orthodontic appliance is crucial for individuals undergoing any Orthodontic Dental Treatment, from braces to aligners or retainers. In this article, you will learn how to protect your oral health, especially when undergoing orthodontic treatment while playing sports. What are the Common Dental Sports Injuries? Without the necessary precautions, you can suffer from the following dental injuries while engaging in sports and physical activities: ● Teeth injuries: Impact or trauma to the mouth during sports activities can result in chipped, even knocked-out, or fractured teeth. In case of these injuries, you will need immediate dental attention and might have long-term consequences on your oral health. ● Soft tissue injuries: Sports-related accidents can impact the soft tissues in your mouth by causing cuts, lacerations, and damage to your gums, cheeks, or tongue.

2. ● Jaw injuries: Forceful blows to the face can fracture or dislocate your jaw, leading to pain, difficulty in opening or closing your mouth, inability to chew, and other functional issues. Orthodontic Appliances and Their Vulnerabilities Although braces and aligners are durable, they are inherently vulnerable during sports. The brackets and wires of braces and aligners can be severely affected by the impact of trauma during any sports activity. For example, a blow to your face during a game can potentially bend wires, dislodge brackets, or damage the aligners’ integrity. Such orthodontic emergencies can interrupt your orthodontic or other dental treatment and cause a fair amount of discomfort. In addition, injuries to your mouth can severely impact your oral health. So, protecting the investment you made in Orthodontic Dental Treatment and your overall health becomes crucial when playing sports to avoid undue setbacks. Tips for Sports Safety with Orthodontic Appliances If undergoing any orthodontic treatment, you must protect your teeth, jaw, braces, aligners, or retainers while participating in sports. Consider following the below-discussed tips to ensure sports safety: ● Wear a protective mouthguard Wearing a properly fitted mouthguard is your best shield to protect your teeth, jaw, tongue, and lips from injury. When participating in any contact sport or activity that involves the risk of falls or collisions, consider wearing a mouthguard to reduce the likelihood of dental or soft tissue injuries significantly. You must wear a mouthguard if you have undergone orthodontic or dental treatment. For instance, if you are participating in sports a few days after your Root Canal Treatment NSW, it’s advisable to wear a mouthguard to protect your mouth and avoid disrupting the treatment’s progress. You can opt for different types of mouthguards: ● Custom-fitted mouthguards: These are fabricated by your orthodontist depending on your mouth impression. They are custom-designed to fit your teeth and orthodontic appliances properly, providing the highest level of protection. ● Stock mouthguards: These are pre-made mouthguards and are readily available. Although stock mouthguards are affordable, they might not fit your teeth properly and, thus, might not provide the best protection.

3. ● Boil-and-bite mouthguard: This mouthguard can be softened in hot water, and then the dentist can mould it to your teeth for a customised fit. Boil-and-bite mouthguards offer better fit, protection, and comfort than stock mouthguards. ● Use protective gear compatible with orthodontic appliances While mouthguards are crucial in shielding your mouth, smile, and orthodontic appliances, you can increase dental safety by wearing other protective gear. Depending on the nature of the sport and the type of orthodontic appliance you wear, consider wearing face shields, helmets, or goggles to provide an extra layer of protection against dental and facial sports injuries. You should wear helmets when playing contact sports like hockey or football, where collisions are more likely to occur. A well-fitted helmet will guard your heart and shield your teeth, jaws, lips, tongue, and braces from direct impact. On the other hand, wearing a face shield and protective eyewear can help protect your face and mouth in sports involving high speeds and flying objects like baseball, basketball, car racing, or cycling. ● Seek immediate dental attention for injuries Despite taking precautions and wearing mouthguards or other protective gear, accidents can still happen when playing sports. If you experience any sports-related dental injury or damage to your orthodontic appliances, seek immediate dental attention. Professional dentists will quickly evaluate the extent of sports injury and provide the necessary dental treatment for optimal healing and oral health. Concluding Thoughts Protecting your teeth, jaw, and mouth, especially after Root Canal Treatment NSW, and orthodontic appliances during any sports or physical activity is relatively easy. All you need to do is wear a well-fitted mouthguard and other protective gear (face shields, helmets, or eyewear), and you are free to hit the field. However, if you still suffer from any dental injury while playing sports, don’t panic. Just act fast and seek appropriate dental treatment as soon as possible.