How to Avoid Common Dental Emergencies

Dental emergencies happen when you least expect them, causing painful symptoms along with disruption of our regular routines and schedules. While emergencies can certainly be treated, ideally, you’d like to do all you can to prevent them from happening in the first place.

At New Smile Dental of Pico Rivera, Karen Martinez, DDS helps patients in Pico Rivera, California manage dental emergencies with custom treatments focused on restoring oral health and relieving uncomfortable symptoms. In this post, she offers nine tips to help you avoid emergencies and improve your overall oral health, too.

1. Brush and floss regularly

Many dental emergencies happen because our teeth are already compromised by decay or gum disease. These problems weaken teeth to begin with, so they’re more prone to damage. 

Brushing and flossing are essential for keeping teeth and gums healthy and strong. Make sure you’re using the right brushing techniques by checking out these tips. You can find helpful tips on flossing here.

2. Don’t skip your checkups

Dental checkups use special tools and techniques to get rid of plaque and tartar that harbor disease-causing bacteria. Having a dental checkup every six months keeps your teeth and gums healthy while giving us the chance to spot — and fix — problems in their earliest stages.

3. Avoid sugary foods

Most of us love sweets — and bacteria do, too. In fact, sugary foods provide lots of food for the bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease. Limit sugary snacks and read labels to find “hidden” sources of sugar. Rinse well after sugary snacks to reduce sugars left behind. Better still, choose fresh fruit or low-fat yogurt, instead.

4. Be careful with chewy foods

Very sticky or chewy foods can interfere with dental work, loosening crowns and bridges. Sticky foods are also difficult to remove, sometimes lodging between your teeth and increasing your risks of gum disease and tooth decay.

5. Quit smoking

Smoking isn’t just bad for your lungs and your heart; it’s bad for your teeth and gums, too. If you smoke, you’re far more likely to develop gum disease and dry mouth, which in turn can increase your risk of decay. 

Kicking the habit improves gum health, so your teeth stay strong and more impervious to damage. You can find tips to help you quit at the Smokefree.gov website.

6. Don’t chew on hard substances

Don’t chew on ice or bite hard candies or lollipops. If you have a habit of chewing on pencils or pens, it’s time to give that up, too. All these habits can cause chips and fractures and damage repairs, like fillings and crowns, too.

7. Don’t use your teeth as tools

Never use your teeth to pry open bottles or other containers. Don’t use your teeth to tear open paper packages, either.

8. Wear a mouthguard or night guard

If you play a sport or participate in any activity where you could have an impact with your face, mouth, or jaw, wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth and jaws. If you have a grinding problem, wearing a nightguard protects your teeth from extra wear and strain that can severely weaken your teeth and their roots.

9. Don’t ignore symptoms

It might be tempting to ignore a toothache or other seemingly “minor” symptom, but even the mildest issue can be a sign of a developing problem. Scheduling a visit right away enables us to prevent more serious problems that could increase your risk of dental emergencies in the future.

Dental emergencies can’t always be avoided. If you have an issue that needs prompt or immediate treatment, call  562-293-3784 or book an appointment online with Dr. Rivera and the team at New Smile Dental of Pico Rivera today.