Last updated: 11/24/2009

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, about 5 million teeth are accidentally avulsed in the United States each year. Most teeth that are replanted are lost through trauma, usually falls and other types of accidents. The most common...

traumata resulting in tooth avulsion are sports accidents that result in falls or blows to the head. The mandatory use of mouthguards, which are plastic devices that protect the upper teeth, has prevented approximately 200,000 oral injuries each year in football alone. The American Dental Association recommends the use of mouthguards for any sport that involves speed, contact, or the potential for falls. These categories include not only contact sports like football, wrestling, and boxing, but also gymnastics, baseball, hockey, bicycling, skateboarding, and skiing. Without a mouthguard, a person is 60 times more likely to experience dental trauma if he or she participates in these sports.

Other common causes of trauma to the mouth resulting in avulsed teeth include motor vehicle accidents, criminal assaults, and fist fights. Domestic violence is the most common cause of avulsed teeth in women over the age of 21.