Preventing Oral Emergencies with Simple Habits and Lifestyle Changes

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Many oral injuries and dental emergencies can have serious implications on your short and long term oral health. There are a few simple habits and lifestyle changes that Dr. Lisa Halliday advocates to help you prevent some common oral emergencies, or at the very least keep you prepared to offer adequate first aid when they happen.

First off, it’s a good idea to curtain any bad habits like chewing on pens and pencils or crunching on ice. This also extends to using your teeth as tools. These things can cause chips, cracks and fractures in tooth enamel.

You should always wear a quality mouth guard when participating in rigorous athletic activities or contact sports.

Grinding your teeth at night can result in chips, and fractures on the biting surfaces of your teeth. It could even cause TMJ disorder in the joints that hinge your mouth. In some cases, stress relief techniques or using a night guard when you to bed can alleviate symptoms and prevent further damage.

You should also consider stocking your first aid kit with a few common oral health care items like waxed floss, salt packets and topical oral analgesic. Keeping this items readily at hand will help you be prepared for some common oral emergencies.

If you have questions about how to best prevent oral and dental emergencies you can call Dr. Lisa Halliday at 707-996-6704 to schedule a consultation.