Despite recent advancements in automotive safety, car accidents remain a leading cause of both serious injury and death in Maryland and across the country. While broken bones, organ damage and traumatic brain injuries are common in car crashes, less common injuries may change your life forever.
Even though you use it for many activities, you probably do not think much about your mouth. If you have ever had a toothache, though, you know how difficult it can be to ignore a mouth injury.
How can you injure your mouth in a car accident?
Even if you are traveling at low speeds, you may clench your teeth during a collision. Biting down hard may cause your teeth to crack or even detach. If you hit your head during a crash, though, you may bite through your tongue. An amputated tongue may make it virtually impossible for you to eat, talk or sing.
How do doctors treat accident-related mouth injuries?
Depending on their seriousness, accident-related mouth injuries may be challenging to treat. According to the National Institutes of Health, your mouth and throat are full of harmful bacteria. Consequently, wounds inside your mouth may be vulnerable to infection. The elasticity of the soft tissues in your mouth also may lengthen healing your time.
What are your chances of returning to normal?
Many emergency room physicians and other doctors lack the skills and equipment to repair mouth damage. Consequently, you may need a multi-disciplinary team of health care professionals, including dentists, oral surgeons and otolaryngologists, to examine and treat you. Regrettably, many individuals who suffer mouth injuries in car accidents never return to normal.
Treating a catastrophic mouth injury after a car accident can be almost unbelievably expensive. Fortunately, the financial compensation you receive from the driver who caused or contributed to the accident may allow you to pursue effective treatment for your injury without going bankrupt.
