Toothless grins really only look cute on a six-year-old. Healthy teeth are often something you take for granted, until something goes wrong. A fall from a bike or a soccer ball to the mouth can mean a quick trip for emergency dental care for assistance.
Dental Health Before an Emergency
Hopefully your first trip to the dentist isn’t because of an accident. For continuing oral health, the American Dental Association recommends everyone visit a dentist once every six months to prevent tooth decay and keep your gums healthy. These regular visits can help you catch cavities early, preventing further damage. Though you may brush and floss every day, a visit to the dentist for a thorough cleaning can help remove any plaque and tartar that is resisting your bristles. Dentists are also trained to catch early warning signs of severe dental disease such as oral cancer or detecting other disorders that may first be noticeable in the jaw or mouth.
Accidents Happen
Most of the time you never see them coming, but many people have had some reason to be grateful for quick access to an emergency dental clinic. Whether it was a sports game or wild jump, broken or cracked teeth need immediate attention. If a permanent tooth has been knocked out, try replacing it carefully, without touching the root. This may not always be possible, so another solution is placing the tooth in milk, or between your gums and cheek, until you can make it to the clinic. Objects stuck in mouth or cheeks may be removed with floss, but avoid using a sharp object to remove them. Visiting an emergency dentist in Miami, Florida can resolve many of these issues.
Protection and Prevention
Avoiding problems is always the best solution. One way to prevent emergency dental care is by having regular dental exams. This ensures that your teeth and gums are healthy and is essential to preventing further issues such as gum disease and tooth loss. There are also ways to prevent sports-related injuries to your mouth and teeth. Wearing a mouth guard can protect teeth from high-impact hits or flying balls. Sometimes it’s what you eat that can crack a tooth. Avoid chomping on ice cubes, or biting onto popcorn kernels or hard candy. Rather than using your teeth to tear open a package, grab a pair of scissors, and use a Lego separator to pull those tricky blocks apart.
Select a Reliable Dentist
Though you may be consistent with your twice-yearly dental visits, and even the thought of chewing on ice makes you cringe, you may still find yourself in need of an emergency dentist in Miami, Florida. Having a comfortable relationship with a dentist you trust is essential to ensuring you get the care you need, when you need it. When choosing a dentist, checking online review sites gives you a chance to review patients’ experiences. Your state dental board is also a reliable place to research.
Though you can’t always avoid needing emergency dental care, preventing unnecessary visits through routine dental care and mouth guards can help keep those emergency trips to a minimum.
