How to Prevent Tooth Injuries

Dental trauma and damage may occur due to any number of causes. Fortunately, the best dentists in Dallas can address such injuries when they develop, but it’s best to prevent the problems in the first place.

Although they present challenges in their own right, tooth injuries can also lead to bigger problems, such as oral diseases and infection.

Patients can take a number of steps to lower their chances of suffering a tooth injury and should consult with dentists about strategies for doing so.

First and foremost, patients should avoid engaging in behaviors that put their teeth at risk. Do not use your teeth for any purposes other than chewing. You’d be surprised at what some people attempt to do with their teeth.

A good oral hygiene routine may also be effective in warding off harm to the teeth. When teeth are affected by decay, they also can be more prone to breakage.

Nearly half of dental injuries are related to athletic endeavors. As a result, people who participate in contact sports, whether they’re elite or recreational, should consistently wear mouthguards to reduce their risk of oral trauma.

Ideally, those mouthguards should be custom-designed by dentists. The boil-and-bite versions that you can purchase in sporting goods stores are not nearly as effective as ones that are carefully crafted to fit the patient’s unique mouth.

Young children may also face a higher risk of dental injuries as they work to master coordination and motor skills, such as walking. It can be difficult to prevent tooth injuries in this age group, but parents should react quickly and seek treatment promptly when such an injury arises.

Sometimes dental injuries in adults can’t be prevented either, especially if there’s some type of complicating factor such as advanced decay or gum disease. In such cases, patients should seek dental care as quickly as possible, visiting an emergency room if the injury occurs outside of your dentist’s standard office hours.