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From minor chips to completely knocked-out teeth, many common dental injuries are painful to experience and stressful to handle. The good news is that they can often be prevented! If you’re not sure where to start, keep reading to learn five ways to avoid a dental emergency.
1. Wear a Mouthguard During Sports (Even Non-Contact Ones!)
Whether you’re a professional athlete, you enjoy playing football with your friends on the weekend, or you like riding your bike to stay active, you need to wear a mouthguard. The reason for this is simple: this small dental device can protect your smile from numerous injuries, including a significant crack in your enamel. So, if you have one, make sure you wear it! If you don’t have one already, schedule an appointment with your dentist so they can create a custom one.
2. Floss Once a Day, Every Day
While brushing is a great start, it only cleans about 60% of the surface of your teeth. To remove plaque, food particles, and other debris from the remaining 40%, you need to floss and rinse with an ADA-approved mouthwash. Not only will this help keep your teeth white and your breath fresh, but it will also dramatically reduce your risk of developing cavities, gum disease, and other oral health problems.
3. Be Mindful of What You Eat
Remember, what you eat directly impacts your oral health. So, make it a priority to fill your plate with nutrient-dense foods, like fresh vegetables. At the same time, steer clear of extremely crunchy foods and limit your intake of added sugar. The combination of these best practices will help prevent everything from minor chips and cavities to considerable cracks in your enamel.
4. Break Bad Habits
Oftentimes, patients hear “bad dental habits” and immediately think “smoking.” While that’s certainly one we recommend breaking, even the seemingly harmless ones can lead to a serious dental injury. So, if you haven’t already, quit chewing on ice cubes, biting your nails, and using your teeth as tools to open things.
5. Prioritize Your Biannual Visits
Last, but definitely not least, visit your dental team every six months for a checkup and cleaning. These routine visits ensure that plaque and tartar don’t have a chance to accumulate. Not only that, but they allow your dentist to periodically check for oral cancer, gum disease, damaged restorations, and other serious trouble.
About the Practice
As your dental team, our goal at Laketown Family Dental is to help you achieve and maintain a healthy, happy smile. That said, we know that accidents sometimes happen, which is why we offer same-day emergency appointments for patients in pain. We also provide nitrous oxide and welcome low-to-no interest financing, so getting the care you need is as stress-free as possible. If you have a question for us about your oral health or you need to schedule an appointment, don’t hesitate to visit our website or call (231) 737-2273.