Everyone dreads the thought of experiencing a dental emergency – the uncertainty, inconvenience, and discomfort. In this blog, our Nanaimo dentists share advice on the things you can do to avoid dental emergencies.
What are Dental Emergencies?
A dental emergency is any dental problem that requires immediate attention from a dentist. This can include:
- Severe swelling on your face or in your mouth
- Knocked out, chipped, or broken teeth
- Severe or persistent toothache that can’t be addressed with over-the-counter pain medications
- Cuts to the lip or tongue
- Lost crowns or fillings
Any of the situations listed above can cause discomfort, pain, or damage to your teeth and has to be treated as fast as possible by a dentist.
How to Avoid Dental Emergencies
Now that we know what a dental emergency is, how can we avoid having one? 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
Lots of people use their teeth to bite fingernails, open packages, and do other activities that aren't chewing food. But, this could easily cause a chipped or injured tooth, as you are exposing your teeth to harm, as well as your gums, lips, and, inner cheeks.
Take the extra time to locate the proper tools such as scissors, and only use your teeth to chew food.
Use a Sports Mouthguard
Do you play sports or participate in any high-impact, physically strenuous activities? While these are great for staying physically activie and getting your blood pumping, they could also create a hazard as you are at risk of receiving blows to the face, head, or neck.
These impacts 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.
Limit Sugary Foods
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.
Maintain an Excellent At-Home Oral Hygiene Routine
Another routine way to avoid dental emergencies consists of preparation and daily maintenance. Dental emergencies can sometimes occur as a result of painful cavities and tooth decay.
Maintaining a rigorous oral hygiene routine can lower your chances of these conditions. Remember to brush twice daily for two minutes each time and floss at least once per day.
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
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.