FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:October 2000 Jann Ingmire
Fred Peterson
McCormick Place
Convention Center (Rm. 115)
Chicago, Illinois
312/791-6625 or
312/440-2806
Dentists Can Assist Athletes in Avoiding Injuries
CHICAGO -- Fat lips and chipped teeth get little respect in the world of athletics, according to one dentist who wishes oral injuries were treated more seriously by players and trainers. David Kumamoto, D.D.S., is a clinical associate professor and team dentist at the University of Illinois at Chicago and one of the speakers at a panel discussion on sports dentistry at the American Dental Association's (ADA) 141st Annual Session in Chicago, Saturday, October 14, 2000.
"Oral injuries are often not recorded, so then it appears that no one gets hurt," Dr. Kumamoto explains. "In the past, an athlete didn't have a dental injury unless they were taken out of the game or missed a whole day of practice. The trainers are now supposed to record all oral-facial injuries, which doesn't always happen with everything else they have to do."
Dr. Kumamoto says the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has noticed that oral health information is important, especially with encouraging athletes to wear mouthguards and in awareness campaigns against smokeless tobacco and eating disorders.The ADA advocates the use of properly fitted mouthguards to prevent oral-facial injuries. Mouthguards help cushion blows that might otherwise cause broken teeth and injuries to the lips, tongue, face or jaw. It is believed that they also may reduce the severity and incidence of concussions.
"What often happens is that after an athlete gets hurt, he or she will start wearing a mouthguard and other members on the team will want them, too. What we encourage is for all athletes to wear mouthguards to prevent the injury in the first place," Dr. Kumamoto says.
Dentistry has also been a leader in the fight against the use of any tobacco products, especially by athletes. "We know that many baseball players promote and use smokeless tobacco," Dr. Kumamoto says. "But there's a rule in collegiate baseball that smokeless tobacco is considered a drug, just like cocaine, and if players are caught using it, they can lose their scholarship." Smokeless tobacco can be as addictive as cigarettes and may lead to the development of oral cancer.
"We also know certain athletic groups are more likely to have eating disorders, and dentists may be able to spot some of the possible warning signs," Dr. Kumamoto explains.
Gymnasts, long-distance runners and ballet dancers are just some of the athletes in the highest risk groups for eating disorders. A dentist might see thinning or loss of enamel on the teeth, or the teeth might look yellow, or thin and sharp. Some patients with eating disorders may also have a lot of tooth decay. "As dentists, we can ask our patients what sport they participate in and then ask them about their eating habits. When dentists see these possible warning signs, we need to be aware that there might be a problem and that we can advise the patient to seek additional medical help."
Dr. Kumamoto says research is underway now to better improve mouthguards and to obtain more accurate data on how many oral injuries happen each year and in what sports. His advice is to wear a mouthguard to protect yourself whether you're playing basketball for the pros or a pick-up game on the weekends. "You're at risk with any sport, but most of the reported injuries are happening in basketball, soccer, bicycling and in-line skating."
For more information about the American Dental Association's (ADA) position on this and other health issues, visit the ADA Web site at www.ada.org.
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