A dental emergency can happen any time, any place. You can be ready to walk down the wedding aisle, but if a toothache interferes, your day can be ruined. Or you may be packing for a once in a lifetime vacation when you stumble and break your tooth. You may be able to lessen the impact of these situations if you have taken great care of your teeth, and have honored the commitment of maintaining regularly scheduled dental appointments.
How Regular Dental Appointments Lessen the Impact of Emergencies
When you visit your dentist on a consistent schedule, the potential for problems can be spotted and dealt with before they have a chance to escalate. For instance, a tooth impacted with decay can be diagnosed and treated before it has a chance to grow.
Falling and breaking a tooth can’t be avoided by regular dental visits; however, if you have a trusted dentist who you see regularly, the odds that you can be seen and treated immediately are greater than if you only maintain sporadic dental appointments.
Be Prepared for a Dental Emergency
Now that we’ve determined that some emergencies may not be avoidable, there are things that you can do in the event that the unthinkable should occur.
Make sure you post the name and contact information of your dental provider in a conspicuous place for you, your family members, and caregivers. When an emergency occurs, you don’t want to have to scramble to find this important information. In addition to posting it, make sure you and those dear to you carry this with them at all times.
Emergencies don’t always cooperate with dental office hours; make sure you know what to do in the event of an emergency at night or on weekends. Some emergencies can be dealt with over the phone, but this is usually only an option when you’re a patient in good standing with your dentist.
Prevention should be practiced as a means to protect against emergencies. Brush twice daily with a fluoridated toothpaste, floss daily to remove what your toothbrush missed, and have your teeth cleaned professionally twice yearly or as recommended by your dental provider. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
