Spring brings warmer weather, outdoor activities and sports, which can bring facial injuries.

April is National Facial Protection Month, and Dr. John Clemenza, a Hermitage oral/maxillofacial surgeon, wants to raise awareness about using facial protection to prevent injury while playing sports or participating in other physical activities.

"Sports-related facial injuries are quite high," Clemenza said, adding that most injuries occur during practice.

The most frequent facial injuries Clemenza sees in his office are nasal fractures "because it's a central location to the face," he said. It's also an area that is hard to protect, he added.

Gauze should be applied to the area if the nose bleeds, and the fracture should be evaluated by a physician, Clemenza said.

Other common injuries include fractured jaws and missing or chipped teeth.

Mouth guards, which can be purchased for about $5 at a sporting goods store or custom-made by a dentist or an orthodontist, can prevent these injuries, Clemenza said.

If a tooth is knocked out or broken off, save the tooth or the chipped piece. If the whole tooth has come out, clean it off with salt water and place it back in the socket.

If you can't get to the doctor or dentist right away, place the tooth in a cup of milk.

"The sooner they can get in, the better the chance of saving the tooth," Clemenza said.

Other sports-related injuries include cheekbone fractures and cuts or lacerations to the face. Clemenza said to clean these injuries with salt water, apply ice to them and have them evaluated by a doctor.

Helmets are commonly used in football but can also help prevent injuries in other sports.

"If you're going to protect anything, protect your head," Clemenza said.

Protective shields can be attached to baseball batting helmets, and protective masks are available for basketball players.

However, kids are more likely not to wear protection, Clemenza said.

"Kids tend not to wear protection if they see other kids not doing it," Clemenza said.

Clemenza said he wants to encourage coaches to get kids to wear protective gear, especially in sports where it is not stressed, such as volleyball, soccer and basketball.

Protection shouldn't be confined to sports alone. Anyone who rides a skateboard, scooter, roller skates or a bicycle should wear proper gear.

"I don't let my kids ride their bikes or skateboards without helmets, elbow pads and knee pads," Clemenza said.

Even people who are just riding in a car should be aware of facial protection. Wearing seatbelts and placing children properly in car seats in the back seat can help prevent serious injuries.

"Kids are safer in the backseat, especially with airbags," Clemenza said. "We're seeing a lot less injuries related to airbags, especially with seatbelt use."

Most facial injuries are treatable. Knocked-out teeth will re-attach themselves if placed back in the socket early enough; if not, they can be replaced by dental implants. Laser treatments can fix scars, and broken jaws can be wired together.

"Most kids with sports-related injuries want to get back as soon as possible, so they're anxious to get better," Clemenza said. "It's always a traumatic experience, no matter what the age, whether it's in sports or a car accident."