Let’s hope David Moeller has a good dentist. The German luger and silver medal Olympian bit into his silver medal for the photographer and chipped his front tooth last week. What happened to Moeller is a great reminder that, although teeth may be the hardest substance in the body, they are much more prone to getting chipped (and knocked out) than we think.
We’re all aware of the common ways of chipping teeth, like crashing on a bike, falling, playing on the jungle gym as a kid, or getting hit in the face.
But how about the less common ways, such as something as seemingly harmless as biting an Olympic medal?
Protect yourself from the following situations that are notorious for chipping teeth that most people don’t expect.
Here Are Some of the Unexpected Ways Teeth Get Chipped:
1. College Parties
It happens all the time. You raise your beer bottle to your mouth, someone bumps your elbow in the crowded bar, and your tooth chips on the glass.
2. Water Fountains
Pushing and shoving among kids lined up at the water fountain results in many chipped teeth. The kid in the front chips his tooth on the water spigot of the fountain after someone in the back causes a domino-like effect from inadvertently pushing.
3. Trampolines and Bouncy Houses
One kid is flying up in the air, the other kid is coming down, and chips her tooth on the other kid’s head.
4. Passionate Kissing
It really does happen!
5. Shivering
You can chip a tooth just from moderate shivering.
6. Childbirth
Women can chip their teeth during childbirth during the contraction phase when bearing down.
7. Surgeries
When patients are intubated during surgeries, teeth are chipped all the time.
8. Weight Lifting or Bench Pressing
People at the gym chip their teeth by vigorously clenching at the moment of the lift. This is why I recommend wearing a mouth guard for these kinds of sports. Not only do mouth guards protect from tooth chipping, they increase your performance.
9. Pets
Your loyal dog who comes to greet you when you come home can easily chip a front tooth jumping up while you stoop to say hello.
If you’re thinking to yourself that it’s not a big deal to chip your tooth, think about this:
It probably cost David Moeller more to fix his tooth than the value of all the gold, silver, or bronze in those medals.
Protect those teeth at all costs!
Mark Burhenne DDS
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