Tips to Avoid a Dental Emergency

Mar 9, 2024 | Blog Posts

Tips to Avoid a Dental Emergency

Sudden dental injuries and other emergencies can require immediate treatment and put you and your family under serious stress. While some incidents can’t be foreseen — such as breaking a tooth in an accident — there are steps you can take to avoid dental emergency situations wherever possible. Try these essential tips for safeguarding your oral health to prevent future visits to emergency dentists.

Maintaining Proper Oral Hygiene

Brushing your teeth regularly while using the proper technique and consistent flossing can help protect your smile. Good oral hygiene supports strong teeth and reliable oral health, which can help combat various potential issues.

Brushing and flossing twice daily is vital to preventing cavities and gum disease, which can lead to complications. For example, cavities can eventually lead to more advanced tooth decay. An abscess can develop once the pulp tissue inside the tooth becomes infected. You may need immediate extraction to provide relief and prevent further spread.

Gum disease can be just as concerning. As the condition advances, it weakens the tissue holding your teeth in place. You may find yourself with loose teeth and even tooth loss, requiring an emergency visit to attempt to save the tooth.

Ensuring a Tooth-Friendly Diet

Your diet is just as essential to preventing dental emergencies. Avoid excessively sugary, sticky, or acidic foods to protect your teeth. Sugary and sticky foods provide energy for bacteria in your mouth, which secrete acid that weakens enamel. Eventually, you may end up dealing with chipped or cracked teeth due to weakened enamel.

You should also avoid using your teeth for things other than biting and chewing food. Activities such as biting fingernails, chewing ice cubes, and opening packaging can cause serious damage. You could face a sudden chip or crack or suffer from wear over time.

Keeping Up With Routine Dental Visits

Routine dental care is vital to protect yourself against sudden emergencies. When you come in for a routine exam and teeth cleaning, your dentist will be able to identify any developing issues. Instead of waiting until the problem reaches a crisis point, you can take advantage of much more straightforward and non-invasive preventive treatment.

Teeth cleaning and options like fluoride treatment can support the strength of your teeth and help prevent decay, reducing your risk of severe tooth decay, infection, and injury. Professional teeth cleaning removes hardened plaque and tartar that shelter bacteria and fluoride treatment helps restore minerals that acid has leached away from enamel.

Taking Extra Care During Sports

Sports activities are one of the most common sources of dental injury. It’s incredibly easy to knock out a tooth or suffer other injuries in both non-contact and contact sports alike. As many as 27% of collision sports participants experience a dental injury at some point.1

Wearing a mouthguard is essential during sports activities to safeguard your smile. A professionally made mouthguard is the best way to protect your teeth during sports. This is just as important for your children, even if they still have baby teeth. Losing a baby tooth prematurely isn’t something you can ignore just because it will grow back. They’ll still need treatment and could have long-term orthodontic issues without proper care.

Avoid Dental Emergency Situations Through Prevention

Taking a few extra precautions can go a long way in helping you avoid dental emergency situations. However, you can’t always prevent dental emergencies. It’s best to have a dentist that you know and trust so that you can get the care you need when common dental emergencies strike.

Albion Family Dental is your home for preventive and emergency dentistry in Albion, NY. Our experienced team offers flexible scheduling and exceptional care for your whole family. Reach out to schedule your appointment today or call us at 585-589-9044.

 

Sources:

[1]: https://www.ada.org/en/resources/research/science-and-research-institute/oral-health-topics/athletic-mouth-protectors-mouthguards