We may not be able to prevent all dental emergencies, but research shows the greater majority are preventable! YOU are the first line of defense in making this happen, and keeping a healthy, bright smile – one that will bring a smile to the faces of those who see you!

Broken teeth may not always be possible to prevent, as accidents do happen that are beyond our control.  We can, however, prevent a broken tooth that was the result of biting down on something hard and cracking the tooth, or actually splitting it.  We are in control of what we put in our mouth!  Even so, this has happened by eating something that had a hard object hidden in it, by someone’s error in preparation.  If you are eating something with a pit, care needs to be taken so that you will not bite down on the actual pit.  Better yet, first remove the pit!

Teeth can also be broken by advanced decay, where the tooth can literally crumble when a cavity weakens the tooth.  This kind of decay can also go well into the bone, creating the need to have the tooth extracted.  This condition is almost always preventable with regular dental check-ups and adherence to a plan devised by your dentist to prevent the progression of tooth decay.  You may need a sugar-free diet, or you may need better instruction on how to brush and floss your teeth, and most likely one may need frequent reminders from their dentist to brush and floss their teeth at least once daily if tooth decay is a problem.

Athletes have no excuses in avoiding broken teeth as there are mouthguards available for almost every sport – and most schools and programs require participants to wear one.  To not do so is to put yourself and your teeth at great risk in a contact sport – and more and more sports are taking on the possibility of being contact sports!  Whether it’s contact with a baseball hitting you in the mouth or hitting your teeth into the ice in a hockey game, you need to wear a mouthguard at all times when playing.

Young children are often at risk for broken teeth from sliding into furniture or tripping and hitting the ground hard, especially as they are developing their coordination.  Even learning to ride a bike can be hazardous to your dental health without proper protection!  Children’s thorough safety education which hopefully starts early in their lives will help in preventing dental emergencies throughout their life span.  As we age, develop some medical conditions, or take medication which could cause a fall, we have to pay attention to our risk for falling.  No one wants to hit the floor or ground knocking their teeth out, but it does happen.  Working with your medical providers, loved ones and Pharmacists for medication teaching and safety measures – all can be of great help in preventing falls and their subsequent problems.  It also helps to not have slippery rugs around a house, or cluttered walking areas as we get older, as our site and coordination are not usually as sharp as they once were.

Safety first – that can help prevent dental emergencies in Grand Rapids Michigan!