5 Ways To Avoid Dental Accidents

Dental injuries are common and may cause damage to the tongue, lips, and inner cheeks affecting one or more of the front teeth. Prevention is better than cure and they can be avoided. Hence, make sure that you avoid dental injuries before they happen. Listed below are a few ways to avoid dental emergencies.

1. Brush and Floss Correctly

Brushing your teeth in the right manner is important rather than counting the number of times you have brushed them. If you are not brushing your teeth the right way, you might still end up having tooth decay or cavities. Brushing can be done in the right way by dividing your mouth into quadrants and spending a minimum of 30 seconds on each for a total of 2 minutes. You should wait at least 30 minutes before brushing after a meal. This is because the acids in your teeth will leave the surface of the tooth vulnerable to abrasion and will cause pain if you brush too soon.

Incorrect flossing on the other side may lead to bleeding or push the plaque under the teeth. Another bad habit is using a saw flossing technique which can harm the gums. These habits can cause dental emergencies in the future.

2. Stop Crunching

Biting on ice cubes, pencil tops, etc. may be enjoyable for you, but your teeth are getting severely affected. Microscopic cracks can be developed due to the combined hard, brittle texture and cold temperature of the ice. If you continue eating ice, those cracks will develop more and hence, cause your teeth to break or chip. Similarly, anxiety and nervousness make you bite pencil tops, which in turn leads to cracks or a chipped tooth.

3. Use a Night Guard

A night guard is a dental instrument which prevents tooth grinding in the night which is a subconscious activity by the human brain due to anxiety and stress. Many people have the subconscious habit of grinding their teeth. Tooth grinding, known as Bruxism, can destroy your smile. The enamel is worn down by excessive grinding and then the tooth is exposed, which can lead to decay or you may have a cracked or broken tooth. A headache or sore jaw in the morning is the indication that you have been grinding your teeth in the night.

4. Use an Athletic Mouth Guard

If you play any kind of sport, mainly which includes physical contact or any rough game, then use an athletic mouth guard. This guard protects a player from an injury be it a contact sport like football or learning new tricks on a skateboard. Visit your dentist and get a mouth guard made for yourself as it will help you prevent severe injuries while playing.

5. Avoid Using Teeth as Tools

People tend to open wrappers and bottle caps with their teeth. While using your teeth may seem more convenient than using a bottle opener, this may actually spoil their teeth. You may chip or crack your tooth while trying to do these activities. Use a scissor to open packets and bottle openers to open bottle caps, etc. Your teeth are only meant for biting and chewing your food and they should not be used as tools.

You should make sure you take all these necessary precautions to avoid dental emergencies. This will keep you on the safer side and your dental health will not be affected. If you have faced dental emergencies in the past or need more information to take good care of your dental health, it is advisable to consult a dentist.