Injuries that Can Occur from River Rafting

Image courtesy of koratmember at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

As an extreme watersport, river rafting can be the cause of dental emergencies as well as other injuries. If you want to enjoy river rafting but are concerned about your dental health, here are some things you should know.

River Rafting at Eugene

Eugene boasts three prominent rivers — the McKenzie River, Willamette River, and Siuslaw River. All rivers are open for watersports, particularly white water river rafting and fly fishing. The combination of cold water and warm sunlight create the best ambience for these watersports. If you’re a first-time river rafter, it’s important to get a tutorial from a professional before you go on the river on your own. There are several river rafting guides and charters that you can go to for guidance.

Common Injuries and Accidents Experienced While River Rafting

If you go on a white water rafting adventure, here are some injury risks you should be aware of:

1. Hitting yourself/getting hit with the paddle. You or someone on the boat with you may get hit by the paddle. This is quite common, especially when the water flow is strong and paddling is uncontrollable. If the paddle hits you or someone else in the face, you can knock out a tooth or fracture it. Your gums may also bleed.
2. Hand/wrist injuries. A typical rafting activity lasts for a couple of hours, and continuously paddling for that long can be strenuous to the hands or wrists, resulting in sprain, dislocation, or carpal tunnel syndrome.
3. Getting dump trucked. When the waves are strong, the passengers on the raft may fall off because of the loss of balance. Rafts rarely turn over or capsize, as compared to other boats, but the soft and bouncy texture of the boat can make it easy for the people riding it to fall off. When the people on a raft fall off even though the raft itself remains upright, this is called dump trucking. It’s important that you’re wearing your life vest while rafting so that if you do fall over, you will be able to return safely into the raft.
4. Hitting a solid object. When you paddle and you suddenly hit a solid object such as a stone in the river, it can cause trauma to your arms and hands. The impact can be strong enough to injure you and disable you from paddling.

Getting Emergency Dental Care from Smile Institute

After your enjoyable river rafting experience, it’s a good time to visit the best dentist in Eugene, Oregon at the Smile Institute, for any dental emergencies. Our Eugene office is open weekdays and you can schedule an appointment anytime through our online form. You can also call us at 541-484-1955 if you have any inquiries about our availability and services.

Make summer a truly memorable season by spending your free time river rafting. But, don’t forget to have your semi-annual dental check-ups to ensure that your teeth and gums are healthy and ready to face any extreme activities you have lined up all year.

The post Injuries that Can Occur from River Rafting appeared first on Smile Institute - Cosmetic and General Dentistry Services Eugene, Oregon.

from Smile Institute - Cosmetic and General Dentistry Services Eugene, Oregon http://ift.tt/1gRD4QC
via IFTTT