Sports Dentistry is one of the most recent and upcoming fields’ in dentistry. It mainly includes prevention and management of sport related orofacial injuries and associated oral diseases. Recent studies shows that elite athletes are often at higher risk of oral disease, tooth decay and gum inflammation compared to the ordinary population. Many have reported that his impacts negatively on their performance as well as their ability to eat, relax, sleep and smile. Many of these problems are preventable and treatable, meaning that athletes may miss important fixtures, competitions or tournaments etc for something that could have been dealt with appropriately.
The risk of orofacial trauma in contact sports is high which allows Sports Dentists to be part of the Sports Medical team to provide immediate pitch side trauma cover on match and competition days. Furthermore, prevention in way of a custom made mouthguard is absolutely paramount to reduce the risk of orofacial trauma therefore the Sports Dentist can play an imperative role in informing athletes, coaches and patients about the importance of preventing orofacial injuries in sports
