Sometimes we aren t as graceful as we might like to think we are, and hitting your mouth on the pavement isn t at all uncommon. The flipside to not wearing a mouth guard isn t unlike the risk in not wearing a motorcycle helmet while riding. One adult patient of ours was in-line skating in a parking lot, hit a patch of oil, fell, and knocked out his three front teeth. They were severed off at the gum line. The patient obviously was very uncomfortable, but fortunately, he got to us within an hour of the accident.
Timing is very important.
Dr. Gustafson says a quick assessment of an accident is crucial. If the injuries involve more than just your teeth, go straight to an emergency room. If just your teeth were injured, call us immediately. If you knocked out a tooth, put it in a glass of milk and bring it with you if you get here in time, chances are good we ll be able to implant the tooth back into the socket. Dr. Gustafson isn t suggesting a mouth guard offers perfect protection.