Experiencing a dental emergency like a painful cracked tooth, damaged filling, or swollen abscess can be frightening, stressful, and very uncomfortable. As your same day emergency dentist in London, we see many dental trauma situations that could have been minimized or prevented with some adjustment to daily oral care habits. We put together this simple guide of proactive tips that everyone can follow for optimal long-term dental health. Going above basic requirements to truly care for your smile makes a big difference in avoiding emergency dental trips! Continue reading as we describe 10 great ways you can care for your teeth and gums to sidestep urgent dental issues.
#1 Thoroughly Brush Teeth Twice Daily
More than just a quick once-over, properly brushing your teeth entails angling the bristles to clean all outer, inner, and chewing surfaces. Gently brush along the gumline as well to clear away bacteria. Spend at least 2 minutes each time fully covering every area. Upgrade to an electric toothbrush for added plaque removal. Preventing build-up of bacteria, plaque, and tartar minimizes decay risk and periodontal disease – two main causes of dental disasters down the road!
#2 Floss Your Teeth Every Day
While brushing accesses tooth surfaces easily, don’t neglect the narrow spaces in between each tooth! Clearing away hidden food debris and plaque is critical for lowering your dental emergency risk related to advanced decay and gum disease. Take a piece of floss and carefully work it down the space between two teeth, gently curving it around the shape of the tooth. Never snap or forcefully jam floss into the gums. Regular flossing reduces bacterial colony habitat.
#3 Use Fluoride Toothpaste for Enamel Protection
Fluoride has wonderful strengthening properties for defending against the mouth acids that demolish precious enamel over time. Choosing a quality fluoride toothpaste and modifying brushing technique to cover all areas bathed in it supports this protective capacity. Rinsing thoroughly after ensures you get the decay-blocking effects rather than accidently swallowing excess. Bolstering enamel with fluoride preserves your teeth against the rapid wear and breakage that necessitates emergency dental repairs.
#4 Limit Frequency of Sugary Foods and Drinks
Here’s a big one when it comes to avoiding emergencies involving damaged nerves, hollowed teeth, and advanced periodontal breakdown! Sugar feeds the bad bacteria responsible for negating all your other oral hygiene efforts. While enjoying sweet treats is part of life, cut down on daily frequency and portion size. More importantly, be diligent about brushing and flossing after eating or drinking sugar to clear it away before bacteria can feast. Don’t let sugar overindulgence undermine your dedication to a Walk in emergency dentists free smile!
#5 Stay Well Hydrated Every Day with Water
Promoting adequate daily hydration flushes your mouth with cleansing neutral water rather than problematic acidic beverages. Drinking plenty of regular water every day keeps saliva flow activated for natural cleaning of food particles. It also prevents thick, stagnant saliva full of bacteria. Thirst cues mean you are already dehydrated, so get ahead of it by steadily sipping water throughout the day. Give your mouth a hydration advantage against dental disasters!
#6 Stop Using Teeth as Tools
It can be tempting to use your teeth as a third ‘hand’ when both are occupied. However, avoid placing improper stress and strain on teeth. Using them as built-in tools to open packaging, hold objects, crack hard nuts or ice, rip tags off clothing or adhesive bandages, etc… can easily crack enamel or break the delicate roots inside when torque pressure is applied! Instead, grab appropriate standalone tools. It’s a simple way to dodge emergencies involving damaged teeth!
#7 Get a Dental Cleaning/Exam Every 6 Months
Prevention is so critical for avoiding dental emergencies. Nipping issues in the bud before they balloon into scary problems needing root canals, wisdom tooth removal, or tooth extraction saves money and discomfort! Sticking to professional cleanings every 6 months clears stubborn build-up you simply can’t handle at home. Meanwhile, a thorough exam uncovers early concerns like small cavities easily filled with a simple filling rather than expanding decay. Don’t underestimate biannual maintenance for deterring emergencies.
#8 Protect Teeth from Sports Injuries
Accidents can and do happen despite responsible precautions. When participating in sports, remember to protect your mouth. Wear custom mouthguards during rugby, boxing, basketball and other contact sports that could damage teeth with hard blows. Securely fitted helmets adding face protection work wonders too for pastimes involving speed and falls. Shielding your precious natural smile supports dental health and confidence needed to stay active pursuing passions. Prevent traumatic tooth loss from athletics and adventures!
#9 Stop Smoking to Support Oral Health
Kicking any smoking or tobacco habit provides immense benefit for whole body and oral health when it comes to avoiding emergencies. Beyond increased cancer risks, smoking worsens gum disease, stains teeth yellow, and deprives needed oxygen flow for healing inflammatory dental issues before they become bigger ones requiring urgent dental care in London. Quitting cold turkey is tough, so talk to your doctor about nicotine patches, prescriptions, counseling or other smoking cessation aids. Just taking that first step to quit rewards you with a healthier mouth and brighter smile!
#10 Ask Us About Anti-Grinding Mouthguards
Excessive teeth grinding or clenching places destructive sheer forces against enamel that eventually require emergency repair. Often exacerbated by stress, this condition can also erode the chewing surfaces down to sensitive dentin over time. Ask our London dental team about custom-fit nighttime mouthguards that cushion this damage until habits can be curbed. For frequent grinders, Botox injections to unlock overactive jaw muscles may provide relief too. With simple solutions, safeguard your natural teeth from hazardous wear and sensitivity necessitating urgent fixes!
Get Discreet Smile Correction with Removable Orthodontic Appliances
There you have it – 10 great ways to proactively care for your dental health each day, limiting the chances of experiencing a painful dental emergency! By brushing thoroughly with the right paste, flossing adequately between teeth cracks, rethinking dietary choices, properly hydrating, avoiding improper use of teeth, getting preventative professional care, protecting against trauma, stopping smoking, and managing grind-related stressors – you set yourself up for healthy confidence with every smile! Contact our London walk in emergency dentist Clinic with any questions.
