Dental emergencies can be scary, especially when you least expect them. But while you can’t avoid them, it’s important to get preventive dental services in the first place. This allows your dentist to spot oral problems and treat them early on before they become serious. Also, understanding the most common dental emergencies and their preventive measures helps you protect your oral health and reduce the risk of further damage. Read on to learn more.
What Are the Common Dental Emergencies and How to Avoid Them?
The following are among the most common dental emergencies anyone can experience and how you can prevent them:
1. Chipped, Cracked, or Broken Teeth
Tooth fractures can occur due to hard impacts from accidents, grinding and clenching your teeth, or even weakened tooth enamel because of bad habits.
Here’s how you can prevent it:
- Maintain regular dental check-ups so your dentist can identify and treat any weaknesses in your enamel early on.
- Ask your dentist about wearing a mouthguard when playing contact sports.
- Avoid chewing hard objects, including ice cubes or pens, as these can cause your teeth to crack.
- Stop grinding or clenching your teeth due to stress.
2. Severe Toothache
Cavities, gum disease, dental abscesses, and sinus infections often cause toothaches. They can also be triggered by a loose filling or crown. To prevent it from happening, consider the following measures:
- Keep up with your good oral hygiene practices, including brushing twice daily and flossing once per day.
- Schedule a visit to your dentist at least twice yearly for check-ups and cleanings to detect any signs of infection early on.
- Avoid using hard objects like pens or pencils to pry open stuck food particles between your teeth, as this could damage tooth enamel and increase the risk of decay.
- If you notice any changes in your oral health, contact a reputable dental clinic near you.
3. Lost Filling or Dental Crown
Fillings and crowns can come loose due to age, decay, a blow to the teeth, or even biting on hard objects. To prevent them from becoming a dental emergency, practice the following preventive measures:
- Visit your dentist twice yearly for professional cleanings and check-ups so that they can inspect your fillings and crowns for signs of wear and tear.
- Avoid chewing on hard objects like ice cubes or pens, as this could cause existing fillings and crowns to become loose or dislodged.
- Brush at least twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, floss once daily, and use mouthwash to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
4. Infections
Dental infections should never be left untreated, as they can become more serious. Maintaining good oral hygiene, like brushing twice a day, helps prevent infection. In addition, schedule regular check-ups with your dentist to help identify any infections early on and prevent them from worsening in the long run.
Symptoms include:
- Fever
- Chills
- Bad breath
- Pain in your mouth or jaw
- Swelling around the affected tooth or gum area
- Redness around the affected tooth or gum area
5. Jaw Pain
Jaw pain can be caused by grinding and clenching your teeth, a bad bite (malocclusion), an injury, or even TMJ Disorders. If not addressed for a long time, it can lead to serious health issues.
Prevention measures include:
- Schedule regular dental appointments to detect any signs of jaw pain early on.
- Avoid grinding or clenching your teeth due to stress.
- Be mindful when eating and avoid biting down too hard on food.
- Wear a nightguard if you suffer from bruxism (teeth grinding) while sleeping.
- Seek professional help for the treatment of TMJ Disorders as soon as possible.
When you experience these urgent dental circumstances, it’s important to contact your dentist immediately. You may go to this link to know more about how it works.