BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (WBRC) – High school football starts this week, and a UAB dental expert wants to prevent children from having their teeth knocked out.

“Student athletes may think this is silly, but it protects you, so put on a mouth guard,” said Dr. Stephen Mitchell, a dentist and professor at the UAB School of Dentistry.

The expert says that sports-related dental injuries are a widespread problem.

Teeth are made of enamel that cannot grow back. Fortunately, there are rules to protect football players.

“One of the greatest achievements of organized school sports,” he said. “In most cases, starting a game without a face mask is a penalty.”

He recommends a custom-made mouth guard, which requires a visit to the dentist.

Younger athletes may opt for a boil-and-bite mouthpiece.

“If your child still has baby teeth, I think boil-and-bite mouth guards are the best option because everything changes and you can just re-boil the mouth guard and let your child bite into it again,” Mitchell said.

The dentist emphasizes that tooth damage is common in baseball and softball. Children should wear a mask when playing field games.

“God forbid we get a tooth knocked out. The best thing we can do is lift it up from the part of the tooth that we normally see, which is the part that is in the mouth, and push it right back in,” he said.

Dr. Mitchell said patients have about 30 minutes to reinsert the tooth and prevent problems.

For those who are unable to do so, he advises putting the tooth in milk and going straight to the dentist.

“The sugar in milk, lactose, feeds these little cells and keeps them alive,” Mitchell said.

It is also recommended that children visit the dentist regularly to reduce their fears in case of an emergency.

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