SUP Rider’s Guide: Tooth Hurt Paddle Boarding
San Juan Capistrano, CA
In pain after a SUP accident? Call now
Same-day help is often available. Call (949) 496-5585 or learn more about Kaban Dental Group, Emergency Dentist in San Juan Capistrano.
What to do immediately (harbor, beach, or back at the car)
If a permanent tooth was knocked out (avulsed): Pick it up by the crown (top), don’t touch the root. If dirty, gently rinse with water—no scrubbing—then reinsert it into the socket and bite on gauze. If you can’t reinsert, keep it moist in milk or your cheek and come in immediately (saving a tooth is most likely within ~30 minutes).
If the tooth is loose, pushed sideways, or chipped: Rinse, apply a cold compress, avoid biting on that side, and save any fragments in milk or saline.
Cuts to lip/cheek/tongue from the rail or paddle: Apply direct pressure with clean gauze to control bleeding. Seek urgent care if bleeding won’t stop or if you suspect a jaw fracture or deep facial laceration.
Tetanus check: Ocean/harbor cuts are considered dirty wounds—if your last tetanus shot was 5+ years ago, you may need a booster.
ER or dentist—how to pick (SUP-specific)
Go to the ER now if you have trouble breathing or swallowing, heavy bleeding, suspected broken jaw, deep facial cuts, or head injury/LOC. After you’re stable, see a dentist for tooth repair.
See an emergency dentist first for most tooth injuries (knocked-out, loose, cracked, broken filling/crown)—we can stabilize and treat teeth the same day.
What likely happened when a board or paddle hits your mouth
Avulsion (tooth out): Time-critical—replant or keep moist and get seen ASAP; prognosis declines with delay.
Luxation (tooth loose or shifted): We reposition and splint the tooth; a root canal may be needed later if the nerve is compromised. International trauma guidelines support prompt stabilization.
Crown fracture (chip/crack): Options include bonding, onlay, or crown depending on depth—bring any fragments.
How we treat SUP-related dental injuries
Same-day triage & digital X-rays/3D scan, then one or more of:
Repositioning & splinting for loose teeth (plus follow-up vitality testing).
Root canal therapy when the nerve is inflamed/infected → Root Canals in San Juan Capistrano
Bonding/onlay/crown for cracks and fractures → Crowns & Bridges in San Juan Capistrano.
Socket graft & replacement if extraction is necessary → Dental Implants or bridge in San Juan Capistrano.
Home care while healing: soft foods, avoid the injured side, cold compresses, OTC pain relief as directed; call sooner for fever, swelling, or worsening pain.
Local context: where SUP injuries often happen
We frequently see injuries from Dana Point Harbor, Doheny State Beach, San Clemente (T-Street/San O), and Aliso Beach—where boards can recoil in shorebreak or during crowded launches. If it happens, follow the steps above and head our way.
Costs, insurance & timing (clear plan before care)
We’ll give you an insurance-aware estimate and timeline before treatment (some cases resolve in one visit; others take staged care over weeks).
Check benefits: Insurance Plans We Accept
Flexible options: Payment Options
FAQs: SUP Tooth & Mouth Injury — Dana Point & South Orange County
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Same day is best. Quick repositioning/splinting improves outcomes for loose/shifted teeth.
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Yes—for a permanent tooth, gently reinsert and bite on gauze; if you can’t, keep it moist in milk or your cheek and come in immediately (ideally within 30 minutes). Do not replant a baby tooth.
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If your booster was 5+ years ago and the wound is dirty (saltwater/sand), a booster may be recommended. Ask your clinician.
We treat SUP riders from San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo & San Clemente
Whether it happened during a harbor launch, downwinding, or in shorebreak, we’ve got you. Call (949) 496-5585 or learn about Emergency Dentistry in San Juan Capistrano.
This article is educational and not a substitute for emergency care. If you have breathing issues, heavy bleeding, suspected broken jaw, or head injury—go to the ER first.
