Tips to Prevent Dental Emergencies

Dental emergencies can happen at any time, and a person might be in urgent need of emergency dental treatment. Dental emergencies can be very painful and can affect your lifestyle. Here are some ways to prevent them:

Proper Oral Hygiene

The best way to avoid an emergency trip to the dentist is to practice proper oral hygiene and to visit your dentist regularly for checkups and cleanings. Avoiding hard foods, chewing on sugarless gum, and rinsing with mouthwash are all excellent ways to help prevent damage to your teeth and mouth. You should also make sure you’re brushing twice a day with a high-quality toothbrush and toothpaste, flossing daily, and using an interdental cleaner or proxy brush to clean the hard-to-reach areas of your mouth.

Make sure that you’re using a soft-bristled toothbrush to prevent damaging your enamel, and consider an electric toothbrush if you’re dealing with a condition like arthritis that may make brushing difficult and painful. Use fluoride-containing toothpaste and replace your toothbrush at least every three months. Additionally, if you have children in the home, make sure they understand the importance of maintaining good oral health practices from a young age.

Regular Dental Visits

In order to prevent or treat any dental emergencies, you should make sure to have regular checkups and teeth cleanings. During your checkup, your dentist can review your oral health and address any concerns you have to prevent an emergency from happening. As well as treating an existing problem and preventing it from reoccurring in the future.

If you already know that you have an issue with your teeth, such as a cavity, the sooner you get treated, the better it is for your mouth as a whole. When cavities go untreated, they can progress into infections that can spread to the jaw and can even enter the bloodstream and cause severe health problems such as heart conditions or even organ failure.

Minimize Sugary Snacks

Sugary snacks can harm your teeth in a number of ways. By eating them, you are exposing your teeth to sugar for long periods of time. This exposure can cause cavities and tooth decay over time. Additionally, if you eat a lot of sugary snacks and food throughout the day, you might experience dry mouth. A dry mouth is not healthy for your smile because it promotes bacterial growth on your tongue and gums causing bad breath and infections.

To help prevent damage to your teeth from sugary snacks, avoid giving in to cravings for them. When you are craving a sweet snack, opt for a piece of fruit instead. Fruit is a much better alternative because of its high amounts of fiber and water. Both of these things are good for your oral health because they help wash away bacteria that accumulate in your mouth after eating. Also, be sure to brush your teeth after every meal or snack. Brushing helps remove plaque and food particles that can get stuck on your teeth and lead to decay.

All of these tips will help keep your mouth healthy and free of harmful decay and infection. Be sure to follow these recommendations whenever you have the urge to indulge in a sugary snack!

To book an appointment, call (714) 364-8181 or visit us at 1030 West Imperial Hwy, La Habra, CA 90631.