How to Prevent Dental Emergencies – Tukwila, WA

Be Careful About What You Eat

One of the most common dental emergencies is a toothache. While this pain may seem sudden, the infection is usually caused by poor oral hygiene over time. When food isn’t cleaned from your smile, it can create acids that eat away at your enamel. In order to prevent this heightened risk, try minimizing your consumption of sugary sweets. Especially hard or sticky candies stay in contact with your smile for longer periods of time, leading to a higher chance of infection and toothache.

Get Some Added Protection

If you or a family member at home participates in sports or physical activity, it’s important that you have the right protection. We make personalized mouthguards that can protect your teeth while also minimizing concussion to your head, jaw, and smile. They’re long-lasting and comfortable to wear, and they will dramatically decrease your risk of cracked, broken, damaged, or lost teeth.

We can also create custom-made nightguards to help protect your teeth while you sleep. Nighttime teeth grinding, also called bruxism, can eventually lead to cracked, broken, or worn-down teeth. However, Dr. Timmerman offers nightguards as a preventive solution.

Maintain Excellent Oral Hygiene

The most significant step you can take on a daily basis for the protection of your smile is regular at-home oral healthcare. Be sure to brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each. Angle your brush at 45-degrees and brush the backs of your teeth and gumline to clean away the harder to reach plaque and bacteria. It’s also vital to floss your teeth to remove any lingering food debris. Lastly, make sure that you’re visiting Dr. Timmerman for routine checkups and cleanings. He will carefully examine your mouth, preventing and detecting oral health problems before they become more severe.

Keep these tips in mind to protect you and your family’s smiles. If you have any questions or are experiencing dental pain, call our office today!