A dead tooth — typically evident by its grayish color — is more than just a visual concern. If you don't deal with this dental issue promptly, you're apt to experience a multitude of problems. When a tooth ties, it has a lot of harmful bacteria around it. The bacteria can multiply to affect the health of your gums and even your jawbone. Teeth can sometimes die as a result of longtime neglect, but a traumatic injury is just as likely to result in dead tooth. Here are three ways that you may suffer this dental issue because of an injury.

Car Accident

If you're wearing your seat belt during a car accident, you're obviously safer than if you weren't wearing this restraint device. However, the use of a seat belt doesn't mean that you won't suffer a facial injury. A side impact can cause your face to hit the window of your vehicle, for example. If you were riding in the rear of a vehicle without rear airbags, you could potentially hit the back of the seat in front of you. This high-speed impact can be extremely damaging to your teeth, and a dead tooth is a potential result.

Sports Injury

Dead teeth are also possible to suffer if you play sports. While some sports present you with less of a risk of facial injuries, contact sports are a concern. Ice hockey, in particular, possesses a high risk of dental injuries. Sticks, pucks, elbows, and the boards and glass that surround the ice can all make contact with your mouth at a high rate of speed and damage your teeth. Sometimes, a tooth can be completely knocked out. In other cases, you'll experience pain and soon notice a change in your tooth's appearance that is indicative of a dead tooth.

Drinking Mishap

You probably don't view drinking as an activity that is detrimental to your oral health, but there's definitely a risk — especially if you're consuming drinks from heavy cups, mugs, or bottles. For example, if you bring a coffee cup to your mouth too quickly and make a hard impact with your tooth, or do the same with a beer bottle, it's possible to sustain a tooth injury. Depending on the force at which you hit the tooth, you could be dealing with a dead tooth before long. Don't shrug off this dental issue. If you believe that you may have a dead tooth, even before the symptoms appear, consult your family dentist.