No one wants to wake up with a toothache. But it’s important that you pay attention to dental pain and discomfort. Pain is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong. Also, the sooner you call our emergency dentists in Ann Arbor, MI, the sooner you’ll be able to find relief and restore your oral health.
How to Avoid a Dental Emergency
The good news is that there are plenty of things within your power to do to avoid dental emergencies, and it starts with building healthy oral habits over time. For example, we recommend that you brush your teeth twice a day and floss once daily.
Here are our tips to help you avoid a dental emergency and an unexpected trip to our office.
Brush Your Teeth Twice a Day
You probably knew this tip was coming, but brushing your teeth is probably one of the most powerful (and simple) ways you can protect your oral health.
Make sure that you’re using a soft-bristled toothbrush. That way, you won’t irritate your gums or experience sensitive teeth. You also want to make sure that you’re brushing your teeth for at least two minutes at a time. Otherwise, you may miss cleaning all the teeth in your smile.
Floss Once a Day
You may have heard this old saying: “Only floss the teeth you want to keep.” And there’s a lot of truth in that. Plaque loves to hide in between teeth where toothbrush bristles can’t reach. This is why our dentists advise you to also floss once a day. Flossing removes plaque and any trapped food particles in between teeth so you don’t develop cavities.
Wear a Sports Mouth Guard
if you plan on playing a contact sport like football. All it takes is one hard tackle for you to accidentally crack or even knock out a tooth. While you can buy generic mouth guards at the store, we recommend getting a custom mouth guard from a dentist. A custom mouth guard is specially made to fit the contours of your teeth and gums. That way, your mouth guard won’t feel uncomfortable and you’ll be able to focus on the game.
Eat a Healthy, Balanced Diet
Certain foods increase your risk of getting cavities or gum disease. This is because the bacteria that live in your mouth love to eat any sugar that’s left behind on your teeth and gums. The bacteria then consume the sugar to produce acid that erodes tooth enamel and attacks your gums.
While it’s okay to indulge in sugary foods every once and a while, it’s a good idea to be mindful of what foods you’re putting in your grocery cart. Eating too many sugary treats could increase the bacteria in your mouth and put you at a higher risk of developing oral health issues.
Don’t Skip Your Routine Teeth Cleanings
One of the best ways to avoid needing urgent dental care is to see our dentists at least every 6 months. That way, we’ll be able to perform a teeth cleaning and oral examination. We may also take X-rays and counsel you on .
Related: Do I Really Need to Go to the Dentist Every 6 Months? →
Don’t Ignore Dental Pain
Dental pain is a sign that something is wrong. That’s why it’s important that you call us at the first twinge of pain or discomfort. The sooner you schedule an appointment with our office, the sooner we’ll be able to diagnose and treat the source of the problem.
However, if you procrastinate and don’t call our office as soon as possible, you risk having the problem worsen until you’re in terrible pain and in desperate need of emergency dental care.
Request an Appointment with Us
Our emergency dentists in Ann Arbor, MI, are accepting new patients and would be more than happy to welcome you to our practice. To schedule an emergency appointment, please call Enhance Family Dentistry & Orthodontics at (734) 821-7676. For non-emergencies, you may also fill out our online contact form and someone from our team will reach out to you soon.
This blog post has been updated.
