Dental injuries aren’t just painful to experience, but they can be stressful to handle! The good news is that many are preventable with the right best practices in place. If you’re not sure where to start, keep reading for five tips for avoiding a dental emergency.
1. Wear a Mouthguard to Protect Your Teeth
There’s a common misconception that you only need to wear a mouthguard if you participate in a contact sport, like football. The truth is that you can sustain a serious dental injury while riding your bike, rollerblading, or even lifting weights. So, if you don’t have a mouthguard already, ask your dentist to have one made for you!
2. Don’t Overindulge on Sugary Foods
One of the leading causes of cavities is sugar, which is why patients are advised to limit their intake of caramel-filled candies, ice cream, and other sweet treats. It’s also a good idea to steer clear of extremely crunchy foods, like peanut brittle, hard pretzels, and popcorn balls, since your teeth can give under the pressure, warranting an immediate visit to your emergency dentist’s office.
3. Brush and Floss Consistently
Taking good care of your teeth at home won’t just keep your teeth white and your breath fresh, it will also reduce your risk of dental damage. So, if you haven’t already, take a good look at your oral hygiene regimen and see where there is room for improvement. Remember, you should be brushing for two full minutes each morning and evening as well as flossing at least once a day.
4. Visit Your Dentist Every Six Months
Even if you diligently implement the above best practices – from brushing consistently to limiting your intake of added sugar – you need to visit your dentist every six months for a checkup and cleaning. These routine appointments ensure tooth decay and other common dental problems are detected and treated as early as possible, reducing your risk of needing emergency dentistry in the process.
5. Break Bad Habits
Not using tobacco products is a great place to start since they can negatively impact your oral health in more ways than one. However, even seemingly harmless habits, like chewing on ice cubes and biting your nails, can lead to considerable dental damage. That’s why it’s important to break any habits that can compromise your smile, even the little ones.
About the Practice
Over the years, our team at Rausch Family Dentistry has had the opportunity to help patients with everything from routine checkups to emergency dentistry. If you need the latter, then you’ll be happy to know that we offer same-day appointments for current patients and provide sedation dentistry to help alleviate anxiety, stress, and worry. Plus, we’re open five days a week! If you need to schedule an appointment, don’t hesitate to visit our website or call (770) 931-3388.
