We are connected by broken teeth

Whether it's Argentina or the toothache from 4 years ago during the match with Japan, these pains eventually fade away. It's worse when the injury on the field is real and you can't prepare for it in advance or numb it properly.

In contact sports like football, hockey, rugby, not to mention MMA fights or boxing, knocked-out teeth, broken noses, facial and jaw injuries are not uncommon. So far, during the World Cup in Qatar, there have been no serious bodily injuries, including knocked-out or broken teeth. However, the latter are the most common reasons for interventions by dental surgeons, prosthodontists, or implantologists.

It's easy to knock out teeth, but finding them afterwards is much harder. Four years ago, Uruguayan footballer Diego Godin lost three teeth and also broke three jawbones. After the match, Atletico staff searched for the knocked-out teeth on the pitch because, according to specialists, they have a viability of up to 48 hours and can be reinserted during that time." - as reported by sport.pl

That's true, in the case of knocked-out teeth, it's important to take them with you and see a specialist as quickly as possible. Time is of the essence in such situations.

A knocked-out tooth should be held by the crown, never the root, rinsed under running water, and either reinserted into the socket or placed in milk or (if available) a saline solution. There's always a chance that a knocked-out but undamaged tooth can be saved. However, every second, minute, and hour counts during the reimplantation process. The sooner the tooth is in the hands of an experienced dentist, the better for our dental health.

In March of this year, Polish media reported: Polish national team footballer Kamil Glik received a blow to the head when an opponent attempted an overhead kick. In the clash, the defender lost two teeth! - reported sport.fakt.pl). As it turned out, in the case of our representative, the broken front tooth was effectively secured and reconstructed. When the tooth damage is minimal, it often suffices to fill it with a light-curing material. In the case of extensive injury, prosthetic supplementation is introduced. Crowns, veneers, and in extreme cases where the tooth cannot be repaired - implants. Kamil Glik was lucky, and his teeth were quickly and effectively protected by skilled dentists.

But as it appears, Polish footballers are not only victims; they can also be perpetrators. In 2018, Kamil Wilczek brutally fouled his opponent during a Sunday match in the Danish league between Broendby Copenhagen and Velje BK. Bosnian defender Kerim Memija has a broken jaw after the collision with the Pole. - reported sport.pl.

A broken jaw or mandible is a significant problem dealt with by maxillofacial surgeons, performing surgeries in hospital or outpatient settings. In contrast to dental surgery, which primarily involves treating pathologies within the oral cavity, maxillofacial surgery typically includes surgical interventions resulting from accidents (trauma surgery) or the treatment of developmental disorders and congenital abnormalities in the craniofacial area. We do not know the further fate of the Bosnian player kicked by the Pole; the Polish striker, after years in Denmark, returned to league fields. And here...

Another Polish player, this time Kamil Żołna, captain of Rekord Bielsko-Biała, had to go for a dental procedure straight from the pitch. - reported sportdziennik.com "Two incisors were knocked out, a second tooth was chipped, and the teeth got wedged in the gum," recounted the captain of Rekord, who quickly went to the nearest dental emergency service, where the dentist initially estimated the cost of the procedure at 1300 PLN and offered the optional option of implant placement for 5000 PLN. And that's not the end of the costs because the player's "second tooth was also loose."

As you can see - not only from the perspective of the Polish football scene - teeth can be lost very quickly, sometimes intentionally, sometimes entirely accidentally. And only the level of the league and earnings determine whether a footballer will quickly and bravely lick their wounds. Who knows, maybe fans have it worse because teeth can also be damaged from nerves, for example, by grinding them in anger while watching the World Cup achievements of our players, among other occasions.