Tips For Protecting Your Teeth as an Athlete

of their set of pearly whites is purely for cosmetic reasons. However, the truth is that poor oral hygiene can negatively affect the overall health of a person, resulting in serious health complications and a diminished quality of life.

This is especially important for athletes who need all parts of their bodies to be functioning at optimal capacity. Even something as seemingly insignificant as a toothache can be detrimental to their athletic performance. Here are some essential teeth protection tips that busy athletes should keep in mind.

Wear protective equipment for the face and mouth

Good oral hygiene requires more than just regular brushing and flossing — it also involves lowering the risk of damage to the teeth and mouth. This can be done by wearing the appropriate protective gear for the face and mouth. The following are some examples of such equipment:

• Mouth Guards. A custom-made sports mouthguard can protect the teeth, tongue, and throat from cuts, collisions, and abrasions common in high-impact sports. These are mandatory for athletes who play sports like football, ice hockey, and wrestling.
• Helmets. Helmets are sometimes work in addition to a mouth guard to further protect the head from injury. They can reduce the risk of fractures, concussions, and damage to the jaw, teeth, and orbital area. These are usually used in high-impact sports like baseball, football, wrestling, and ice hockey. Helmets should fit the wearer properly, and should not be too tight or too loose. Otherwise, ill-fitting helmets can cause injury to the athlete or be easily removed from the head while in action. ; ;
• Face masks. Face masks are usually worn under helmets as an extra layer of defense. They're often worn in men's lacrosse, ice hockey, softball, and football. Depending on the type of sport being played and the position of the player, face masks can offer varying levels of protection. A football face mask will protect the lower jaw and teeth, whereas an ice hockey face masks is concentrated on the eye and upper jaw area.

Always clean mouth after drinking sport drinks

Sports drink, protein shakes, and sports gels contain plenty of sugar that can weaken the outer enamel of the teeth and put athletes at higher risk for cavities tooth damage. Athletes should take extra precautions to brush their teeth or thoroughly rinse their mouth out with water after drinking these kinds of beverages. Either that or they should avoid them entirely, if possible.

Schedule routine dentist visits

Athletes are highly encouraged to visit the dentist at least once every six months or twice a year. A quarterly visit may be in order if there are any underlying oral health complications or if the athlete participates in an especially high-impact sport, like wrestling or football. After every game, athletes' teeth can get a bit of a beating, so it's important to have a dentist evaluate the condition of the mouth to see if there are any concerns that may not be that obvious to the untrained eye. The earlier they can catch these problems, the quicker the issue can be treated.

Avoid chewing tobacco or smoking

Not only can smoking and chewing tobacco compromise the performance of athletes and put them at greater risk of developing cancer, heart disease, and lung problems, but it can also lead to gum disease, oral cancer, cavities, staining of teeth, jaw bone shrinkage, and other complicated oral health concerns.

Take care of knocked out teeth

Athletes who play rough contact sports like wrestling, football, mixed martial arts, and rugby can easily get their teeth knocked out, even if they're wearing a mouthguard. In case this happens, the athlete should keep the tooth inside their mouth or in the socket until they reach the emergency room. A lukewarm saltwater solution or a glass of milk is also a good place to temporarily store it before they reach the hospital or dentist's office.

Prevent swimmer's calculus

Swimmer's calculus happens to athletes who regularly swim in pools with highly acidic water. This is a case of severe enamel erosion which results in stained yellow teeth that are extra sensitive. In order to prevent this, athletes should maintain proper pH and chlorine levels in their pool, and keep the mouth closed when swimming so as not to have their teeth come in contact with chlorinated water.

Besides strengthening muscles and improving cardiovascular fitness, it's also necessary for athletes to keep their teeth strong and healthy. Doing so will help them maintain their overall health to prevent medical issues that may negatively affect their athletic performance.