Dental emergencies are sudden, but that does not mean that these painful dental situations cannot be avoided.
Keeping your teeth and mouth healthy is very important, but we often seem to ignore minor problems. And that is precisely the reason why these issues flare up and we face sudden dental emergencies.
Dental emergencies are often quite severe. Obviously, it would be great to prevent these dental emergencies in the first place. But the question is how? Listed in this article are a few tips for you to explore that will help you prevent dental emergencies if you follow them regularly.
Go for regular dental check-ups
The most important tip that you can follow is regular dental check-ups. We often ignore oral hygiene and do not give it much importance. But we forget that the oral cavity forms an integral part of our life. Often, a minor dental problem becomes a major dental issue because it was not considered in its earlier stages. When the seriousness sets in, you might have to undergo oral surgery. You can avoid this if you undergo regular dental check-ups.
Wear athletic mouthguards while playing sports
Playing sports is very good for your health but might not be good for the well-being of your teeth if you do not take proper precautions. It is observed that maximum oral and dental injuries occur in the sports field. If serious situations occur, you must face grave circumstances where the dentist might perform oral surgery. So, what you can do is use proper athletic mouthguards to protect your teeth and mouth from any severe and undesirable injuries.
Maintain your hygiene routine
It is highly recommended that you make it a habit to brush and floss your teeth regularly. You should do it every day before going to bed. Most of us tend to consume a lot of things all day, most of which do not turn out to be healthy for our teeth. If you skip brushing your teeth for a few consecutive days, that may result in swollen gums, bleeding gums, and other dental problems. In most cases, you might also develop plaque. Poor oral health is highly undesirable as it imparts foul breath and takes a toll on your social life.
Be safe while engaging in pool activities
Pool-related dental injuries are prevalent, especially during the summer months. It is common to get your mouth bumped against the pool edge or slip on the wet floor near the pool. Maybe these will cause you a short-term embarrassment and result in a grave dental injury. Take preventive measures while in the pool, and also avoid driving when you can perceive that the water is shallow. In addition, be cautious when dealing with hot tubes.
Avoid foods that are rich in sugar or are acidic
Food with high sugar content is bad for your teeth since it enhances the chances of tooth decay. But did you know that acidic beverages like soda are also highly harmful to your teeth? These beverages tend to dissolve and remove the enamel of your teeth, exposing them to all the harmful bacteria.
But we also understand that it may not be possible to completely avoid acidic beverages or sugar-rich food. What you can do is, after eating any sweet meal, immediately go and brush your teeth.
When consuming soda or any other acidic beverage, you should be using a straw. This gives partial protection to your teeth as the acidic beverage does not come in direct contact with your teeth. Also, you should not immediately brush your teeth after consuming soda. This is because the enamel is soft and might get eroded if you immediately start brushing your teeth. Instead, you should wait for 30 minutes and then brush.
Avoid using teeth as tools
It is very common to see children and adults opening bottles or other packages with their teeth. Adults often try to extract a bolt, nail, or something of that sort with the help of their teeth. It might look interesting and cool, but it can be very harmful to your teeth in the long run.
Your teeth may lose their enamel, and that will expose your teeth to harmful bacteria. As a result, your teeth will get infected. The other case might be that your teeth roots might weaken since you exert a lot of pressure on your teeth while performing those activities. Hence you should avoid such practices.
Drink water often
Apart from keeping you hydrated, drinking water helps keep your teeth healthy. This is true especially when you are traveling. You must be wondering how! While traveling, you often tend to consume food along the way. Since you are traveling, it is evident that you cannot brush or floss your teeth in the middle of the road. Hence food particles might be stuck in your teeth, and when these food particles are combined with bacteria, they cause plaque. Plaque, once developed, can destroy the teeth unless they are cleaned out. But if you drink water after consuming food, this water helps to wash out most of the food particles and keeps the risk of plaque occurrence pretty low.
Intake of vitamins
Vitamins have been proven to be good for your teeth and gums. Vitamins protect the teeth and gums from decay and injury by making them strong. Vitamin A, B, and C are well known for their benefits to gum health. In addition, these three vitamins also reduce your risk of suffering from any periodontal disease. Calcium, as well as Vitamin D, facilitate in keeping the teeth disease-free and strong.
Bottom Line
If you can follow these tips, you can prevent dental emergencies and maintain excellent oral health.
If you have already experienced a dental emergency before, then you should all the more follow these measures since you already know how these issues can sneak upon you. Hence, follow these tips, and conquer the world with your pearly white healthy smile!
