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Dental emergencies are situations that create pain or have the potential risk of damaging the teeth or mouth. The most common dental emergencies involve damaged or lost teeth, soft tissue injuries, and infections. While these dental emergencies are not common, it is important to know what to do when one occurs.

Common Dental Emergencies

• Chipped or knocked-out tooth
• Broken or loose braces
• Bleeding gums
• Broken dental restorations
• Loose dental restorations
• Abscessed tooth
• Jaw pain
• Broken dentures or bridge

How To Prevent Dental Emergencies?

• Practice Good Oral Hygiene

The best way to help prevent a dental emergency is to practice good oral hygiene. This means brushing your teeth at least twice per day and flossing at least once per day. Doing so will ensure that plaque doesn't build up on your teeth, which can increase your risk for tooth decay and gum disease. These dental issues can lead to tooth pain, infection, and even tooth loss. So, do your best to take care of your teeth and gums, and you should see a reduction in your risk for dental emergencies.

• Schedule Regular Checkups

A regular checkup provides a way to stay on top of your oral health. We will clean your teeth, take x-rays, and provide a thorough examination of your teeth and gums. We'll also review your home hygiene habits and offer suggestions on how to improve.

Regular checkups allow us to catch problems early and treat them before they develop into large issues. This can help save you the pain of a dental emergency!

• Don't Use Tobacco Products

Tobacco products, such as cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, contain chemicals that dry out the mouth and make it easier for plaque to cling to teeth. This plaque adheres to teeth, causing the teeth to decay and your gums to become inflamed.

• Wear A Mouthguard

Dental emergencies can be painful or costly. You can get a custom-made mouthguard from your dentist to make sure your teeth are protected. Wear it during sports, skateboarding, biking, etc. It can also prevent you from biting your cheek or tongue.

• Avoid Chewing Hard Objects

Large objects such as hard candy, ice, and pens can easily break or chip a tooth. It's a bad idea to even chew on such objects because they could crack or chip a tooth.

A chipped tooth could also get infected because it exposes the nerve endings. This could lead to a root canal, which can be costly and time-consuming.

Call Dr. Ronald F. Jacob, DMD, at (386) 445-6111 if you wish to learn more tips about taking care of your oral health. We are located at 17 Old King's Road N, Palm Coast, FL 32137.