Did you know that the summer months are some of the most common times to see dental emergencies? Fortunately, most emergency dental appointments can be avoided with the right strategies.
Invest in a Protective Sports Mouth guard
One of the top two causes of summer dental emergencies is recreational activities, such as sports. When the weather is nice and kids are out of school, people are more active. And the more active people are, the greater the chances of accidental injuries occurring. Such as hits to the mouth from a baseball, an elbow in the face during a heated pickup basketball game, slipping on the side of the swimming pool, you name it.
A great way for athletes to minimize oral injuries like broken teeth and busted lips is to wear a professionally fitted mouthguard. Custom mouth guards stay in place when you need them to, so even if you slip, the mouthguard won’t fall out (protecting you from secondary injury.)
Custom mouth guards are great for preventing and reducing the severity of:
- Concussions
- Broken, chipped tooth enamel
- Knocked-out teeth
- Cut lips and cheeks
- Impacted teeth
Unlike sports guards that you can buy from the drugstore, custom mouth guards provide the highest level of protection because they’re precisely molded to your mouth.
Don’t Ignore Tooth Pain
Dental problems don’t go away on their own. If you have a toothache one day but feel better the next, don’t ignore it. Issues such as cavities or dental abscesses won’t improve with time; rather, they’ll just get worse.
Unfortunately, a large percentage of dental emergencies are because of untreated tooth decay. People assume that since their teeth didn’t hurt, it didn’t seem like a priority to have them fixed. As time goes by, small cavities easily spread into adjacent enamel, the nerves of teeth, and neighboring teeth.
You can prevent an unwanted, painful, and expensive dental emergency by treating dental problems as soon as possible. The earlier they are intercepted, the larger amount of healthy tooth structure we can preserve. But most importantly, the less pain you’ll have to experience in the long run.
Schedule Checkups When the Kids are Out of School
How long has it been since everyone in your family last had their dental checkups? If you’re due, go ahead and make appointments for everyone while the kids are between camps, classes, and part-time jobs. That way our Mesa dentist can go ahead and get a good look at everyone to intercept possible issues before symptoms start.
It’s best to catch problems like cavities while they’re small. Because early treatment keeps things simple before decay blows up into an abscessed tooth (and painful emergency.) Not only will regular checkups save your smile, but they also help you keep dental care costs to a minimum.
Don’t Sip on Summertime Sweets All Day Long
Invest in some fun, refillable water jugs or bottles to keep everybody hydrated. Whether you’re headed to the pool, sitting on the sidelines of a game, or sweating it out at the gym, water is the best thing for your body and your teeth.
Yes, it’s fine to occasionally enjoy the tall glass of sweet tea, soda, or juice, sipping on it all day (and all summer long) will significantly increase your chances of tooth decay as time goes on. If you are going to indulge, try to drink through a straw to limit tooth contact time and rinse your mouth out with water afterward. Drink it all at once instead of sip on it throughout the afternoon.
Use the Extra Time to Brush More Often
Improved oral hygiene is great for the long-term health of your smile. By investing time each day to brush and floss like you should, you’ll reduce your chances of decay, emergencies, toothaches, and eventual tooth loss.
If you’re at home in the summer, use that extra time to add in a lunchtime teeth brushing session. Or you might even use flossing as an excuse to get up from the desk for a few minutes. It’s a win-win.
Since many of us are spending more time at home than we did over a year ago, there’s really no excuse that any of us have for not brushing as often as we ought to. Try to brush 2-3 times a day if possible.
In Pain? Call Eastport Dental
Our Mesa dentist delivers compassionate and gentle emergency treatment when you need it. If you have a broken or painful tooth, contact our office immediately. We’ll see you as soon as possible.
