NHL Increasingly Focused On Players’ Dental Health

Many sources are carrying an AP (2/10, Lage) story reporting that although the National Hockey League is scrutinizing player safety “more than ever,” many NHL players still lose teeth as part of the game. Still, there is increasing interest in helping players keep their original teeth, and “when players do get hit in the mouth with a stick or puck during a game, they are moments away from getting professional treatment from a team dentist and perhaps an oral surgeon.” Several teams, including the Nashville Predators and Los Angeles Kings, are equipped with a dental chair in their arenas. The article adds, “Dental care is one of the progressive moves made by the NHL, according to Predators general manager David Poile.”