How To Avoid A Dental Emergency

dental fillings with North Liberty Iowa dentistDental emergencies often creep up on us when we are not expecting them. A dental emergency is defined as any unexplained or unanticipated dental pain or damage to your teeth, gums, and jawbone. As your trusted dentist in North Liberty, IA, it’s important to us that our patients are informed on how to best avoid a dental emergency.  If you are searching for an emergency dentist in North Liberty, IA, visit Dr. S. Jeremy Tu of Design Dental. Here are our best tips on avoiding a dental emergency:

Preventative Care

Toothaches are often caused by gum disease, infected teeth, or tooth impaction. These are major dental concerns that can usually be prevented with proper preventative care. The best way to avoid a dental emergency is to stay on top of your oral hygiene. Beyond brushing and flossing your teeth regularly, this also includes maintaining a consistent schedule of appointments at the dentist’s office. We recommend patients visit our office once every six months.

This ensures that Dr. Tu can keep a close eye on your dental health and treat any minor issues before they become major dental concerns. During these appointments, Dr. Tu removes any plaque or tartar buildup that could potentially irritate or infect your gums. In addition, Dr. Tu can perform a full dental evaluation to check for signs of tooth decay, dental infection, gum disease, and other dental problems.  If there are any noticeable issues, we can recommend further treatment so that you are not caught off guard with a toothache later on.

Use a Mouthguard

Sports-related injuries are one of the leading causes of dental emergencies. To help our patients avoid this, Dr. Tu creates customized mouthguards for his patients. A mouthguard is a protective plastic sheath that fits snugly into your smile and absorbs the shock of a blow before it reaches the teeth and jaw. We recommend patients get fitted for a custom mouthguard every season. This ensures that a mouthguard will fit comfortably and securely as a patient grows. While store-bought mouthguards can offer protection against injury, a custom mouthguard is specially designed for your smile. This means it will fit better and feel more comfortable during use. Additionally, we can design your mouthguard around any oral appliances like braces or dental bridges to ensure that all aspects of your smile are protected.

Know the Signs

Many patients struggle to know when it is time to call the dentist. Common dental emergencies that we see in our office include knocked-out teeth, oral abscesses, broken jaws, and dental pain. If you are in severe pain and suspect that the cause of this pain is coming from your teeth, gums, or jawbone, the odds are that you are experiencing a dental emergency.

Additionally, if you experience swelling or bleeding around your mouth, this could also be a dental emergency. It’s better to be safe than sorry. At Design Dental, Dr. Tu and our entire team are committed to helping our patients restore and maintain optimal dental health. Please contact us if you suspect you are dealing with a dental emergency.