Common Teeth Injuries Professional Fighters Might Suffer and Their Remedies

Since there are so many contact sports, sports dentistry is a very important branch of sports medicine. As we all know, all athletes need to be in perfect health, which also includes their oral health. Oral health and athletes have special relationships, especially professional wrestlers. If you would like to learn about some of the most common dental injuries professional wrestlers can sustain.

cracked teeth

When fighters take a hit to the face, it will in most cases result in fractured or cracked teeth. If the tooth shows cracks across it or longitudinal cracks, that’s often called folly lines. This works when only the enamel has cracked and they do not pose a great risk to the teeth. But if you notice that the tooth is cracking or splitting from the crown and spreading downward, that means you have a broken tooth. When you experience a broken tooth, you will feel a very sharp pain when you bite down, pain that comes and goes, as well as extreme sensitivity to hot and cold foods and drinks.

But sometimes the cracks aren’t visible to the naked eye and fighters often don’t realize they have a crack until they feel a sharp pain. Some will even go unnoticed if the fighter does not visit the dentist on a regular basis. If the crack is vertical and does not go beyond the visible part of the tooth, it will not cause much trouble. But if the pulp of the tooth is exposed and the tooth is cracked below the gum line, it can cause more problems than just pain. If ignored, not only can it cause bacterial infections, but a fighter may also need a tooth extraction or root canal.

fractured roots

If the wrestler is hit in the mouth at a specific angle, the impact can cause the root to fracture. What differentiates it from a cracked tooth is the fact that the break will start at the root level and will slowly work its way down towards the visible part of the tooth. Since they are invisible for a time, fractures are often discovered by fighters too late and are infected and cause a lot of trouble. Therefore, the sooner your dentist sees the fracture, the better chance you have of saving the tooth. That is why every wrestler needs to visit his dental specialist to carefully examine the teeth in case root canal therapy is needed. Cooperating with a dental office like Forum Dentistry as a fighter will minimize tooth loss. It is best to have your teeth professionally checked after every fight and scanned to make sure there are no hidden fractures inside.

tooth intrusion

Since professional wrestlers will take many direct hits to the jaw, they will often have their teeth knocked out or even have their teeth sunk into their jaw. That is as painful as it sounds. Trauma like this is called an intrusion and is more common in those with baby teeth, but it does happen to professional wrestlers. Some of the most common complications that will indicate an intrusion are shortening of the roots, visible caries as well as ankylosis.

How can I protect my teeth while fighting professionally?

But what’s important to keep in mind is that in many cases, even if you’re a professional wrestler, there are precautions you can take to protect your teeth from decay. When you participate in a close contact sport, it is essential that you protect your teeth just as you protect other parts of your body. No matter how expensive it is to create a preventative kit, it is less expensive and takes less time than having to replace missing teeth or treat serious infections. When you participate in a close contact sport, it is important to keep your mouth protected. Having the right mouth protection equipment prevents more than 200,000 injuries per year.

● Mouthguards

One of the easiest and most popular ways to protect your mouth during professional fights is to have a custom-made mouthguard. Professional mouth guards are made so that they can withstand the impact of a fist, bat, stick, balls, etc. A typical professional mouth guard will cover the upper teeth in a way that protects them from both chipping and cuts to the lips or having damage to the mouth. Depending on the type of professional wrestling, there are different types of face masks. Many professional lighters will have custom made mouth guards that are made specifically for your teeth and your type of fight. Many less professional fighters will opt for something simpler but less protective known as boil and bite mouth guards. All that needs to be done to make the mouthguard fit is to put it in boiling water and bite into it for a custom fit. The only downside to mouth guards like these is that they can alter your bite if worn for a long period of time.

Wearing the mouth guard during combat will ensure the risk of trauma from violent blows to the mouth. But that’s not the only benefit of using it, it will also prevent you from biting your tongue, reducing the impact of the lower and upper jaw when struck, as well as limiting the chance of getting a concussion.

When you’re a professional fighter, it’s important that you take care of your body the best you can, that means having routine check-ups with the dentist and wearing a mouth guard during every fight is a must. It’s easier to take a few precautionary measures from time to time than having to suffer from toothaches, infections, or being away because you have to recover from dental surgery.

Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Executive Writer and Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. He is passionate about combat sports and also hosts a podcast for Sitting Ringside. He is also a former MMA Fighter and Kickboxer.

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