One thing that no one hopes to ever have to deal with is dental emergencies as they can be painful and costly. The good news is that there are steps you can take to help avoid the chance of dental emergencies happening.
Dental Emergencies
Dental emergencies happen when you experience a situation involving your oral cavity that needs to be assessed and treated immediately. These emergencies can include:
- Severe or persistent toothache that can’t be addressed with over-the-counter pain medications
- Severe swelling on your face or in your mouth
- Knocked out, chipped or broken teeth
- Lost crowns or fillings
- Cuts to the lip or tongue
If you experience any of these issues you should visit a dentist as soon as possible as these all can potentially cause serious pain and possible complications if left untreated.
What are some ways to avoid dental emergencies?
Now, what are some of the ways that we can minimize the risk of having a dental emergency? While dental emergencies can happen for a wide variety of reasons and in spite of our best efforts, we can always take precautions to reduce our risk of injuring our gums, teeth or jaw.
Only use your teeth for chewing food.
Many of us use our teeth to open packages, bite fingernails and do things other than chewing food. But this is an easy way to chip or injure them, as you expose your teeth to harm along with your inner cheeks, lips and gums.
Take the extra time to find the appropriate tools such as scissors, and save your teeth for chewing food.
Wear a mouthguard when playing sports.
Do you participate in sports or any high-impact, physically strenuous activities? Though these are great for getting your blood pumping and staying physically active, they can also present a hazard as you’re at risk for impacts to the head, face or neck.
These blows can easily result in significant injuries that lead to dental emergencies. To avoid these scenarios, always wear a custom-made mouthguard to protect your teeth and mouth against any injury.
Try to limit food with high amounts of sugar.
We all love snacks and a late afternoon sugar hit can be very tempting. However, sugar results in plaque and bacteria buildup that leads to tooth decay, cavities, wear on our teeth and gum disease that can lead to dental emergencies. Hard candy, popcorn kernels and other foods can also present a hazard.
Next time you’re at the grocery store, stock up on crunchy vegetables such as carrots to snack on and healthier soft foods such as yogurt. After a few weeks of avoiding the hard, chewy sugary foods, you’ll hardly notice their absence from your diet - and your teeth will thank you.
Follow an oral health care routine at home.
One of the best ways to avoid dental emergencies is by following an at-home oral health care routine. Some of the most common reasons for dental emergencies are cavities and dental decay.
Maintaining a rigorous oral hygiene routine can reduce the chances of these. Remember to brush twice daily for two minutes each time and floss at least once per day.
Keep up with regular dental visits.
Along with maintaining an oral hygiene routine, regular visits to the dentist for hygiene cleanings and exams are a must. They not only clean your teeth with professional-grade tools but can also detect any issues with your teeth early on, helping you avoid dental emergencies.
Do you have more questions about minimizing the risk of a dental emergency?
A dentist will be able to discuss these and other ways that you can minimize the risk of dental emergencies occurring.
