Did you know that visiting your dentist for a routine checkup and cleaning every six months can help prevent potential emergencies? Consistent visits allow them to monitor your condition, enabling them to catch and address any issues before they worsen. For instance, they can identify and fill a cavity before it becomes infected and requires a root canal.
Although some issues are completely unavoidable, there are many ways to keep common oral issues at bay. Continue reading to learn 3 ways you can safeguard your smile!
Tip #1: Eat a Wholesome Diet
The adage ‘you are what you eat’ certainly applies to your dental health as much as your general condition. For instance, excessive sugar consumption attracts harmful bacteria that cause tooth decay, gum disease, and other concerns. Additionally, overly hard foods can potentially chip or crack your enamel, providing germs with a path to penetrate and infect the sensitive materials inside.
Meanwhile, dairy foods like milk, yogurt, and cheese are full of calcium to build strong teeth and bones. Also, many citrus fruits and leafy greens, such as oranges, lemons, spinach, and kale contain lots of vitamin C to support healthy connective tissues.
Tip #2: Maintain Your Routine
If you don’t already have one in place, you should implement a twice-daily dental hygiene routine. Brushing and flossing your teeth both morning and night consistently removes plaque and bacteria that contribute to oral issues. For a thorough clean, hold your brush at a 45-degree angle against your gums to clean as much of the available surface area as you can. Then, run your floss between your pearly whites and below your gumlines to remove germs that tend to hide there.
You should also see your dentist twice annually to ensure you haven’t developed any problems, like thinning enamel, swollen gums, or chips and cracks, since your last visit.
Tip #3: Protect Your Teeth
Athletes and others who regularly participate in high-contact activities or sports are at an increased risk of injury. One blow to the face could break or dislodge a tooth or restoration, requiring costly and complex emergency treatments to address. Additionally, patients who suffer from bruxism, or chronic teeth grinding, might prematurely wear down their enamel or push their teeth out of alignment.
Thankfully, your dentist can provide a custom-fitted oral appliance, like a mouthguard or a nightguard, to protect your pearly whites from harm. These devices provide a layer of cushion over your teeth so they don’t touch when you close your arches together, shielding them from extra pressure that could damage or dislodge them.
Taking the right precautions helps avoid potential emergencies to preserve your dental health!
Meet the Author
Dr. Les Latner has decades of experience helping people of all ages build and maintain their happiest, healthiest smiles. He earned his dental degree from the Washington University School of Dental Medicine in St. Louis and is now one of fewer than 10 dentists to achieve both accreditation in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and a mastership in the Academy of General Dentistry. Today, he offers a comprehensive menu of top-quality services to enhance your dental health, including preventive and emergency care. You can request an appointment on the website or call (310) 765-7441.