Sports people have their own special needs when it comes to dentistry.

1. Did you know that mouth guards fitted by a dentist reduce the incidence of trauma to the teeth and jaws by 80%? Compared to only 30% reduction of teeth and jaw trauma experienced by wearing a chemist fitted guard, this is an impressive statistic. Common problems with chemist mouth guards are they don’t fit properly, they fall out and they are bulkier and therefore more likely to be left in bags, instead of being worn in mouths! So the investment of about $110 is a good one considering an implant costs about $4500 to replace a knocked out tooth.

2. Basketball has a higher incidence of tooth damage than football, as it isn’t common to wear mouth guards in this sport.

3. Saliva is the main protector of our teeth. When we exercise saliva is decreased in volume and quality. People who drink sports drinks to improve stamina do it while exercising, so they are placing these highly sugary, acidic drinks on unprotected teeth as your mouth is dry at this time. This increases the incidence of dental decay and wear on teeth. Drinking water after the sports drink to dilute and wash away damaging effects is advisable. In addition, using a mouthwash containing fluoride, or a new product called ‘Tooth Mousse’ to re-mineralise the teeth, is recommend.

4. Many a footballer has their wisdom teeth out during the off-season, as this is a common site for jaw fractures.

5. Sports people who have lost teeth while playing sport normally wear a denture while playing. Modern dentistry has a myriad of options to replace those missing teeth with implants being at the top of the list. Our website www.firstbite.com.au has all the options that are available to the sports person.

6. Elite swimmers shouldn’t brush their teeth after a training session as the acidity of the pool has weakened their teeth and washed away the saliva. Re-mineralise your teeth as in point 3.

The best advice is to have teeth regularly checked and cleaned by a Preventative Dental Practice and have a long term life plan that suits your needs. Prevention, as always, is better than cure.