Due to COVID-19, public health officials are advising everyone to stay at home as much as possible. Avoiding unnecessary errands works to prevent the spread of the virus and is essential during a pandemic. However, you’ll also want to be more mindful of your oral health since dental practices are not currently seeing patients for non-essential care. While they are willing to see patients experiencing dental emergencies, it’s always better to prevent them in the first place. To avoid dental emergencies, keep these three tips in mind.
Take a Break from High-Risk Activities
If you are a big fan of contact sports with your family, you’re actually at a much higher risk of experiencing a dental emergency than someone who doesn’t participate in these activities. In fact, most dental emergencies occur as a result of playing contact sports (i.e. backyard football, basketball, hockey, etc.), often without the proper protective gear. If you want to lower your risk of dealing with a cracked or knocked-out tooth, the best thing you can do is change your routine exercise to something less dangerous.
For example, going out for a walk, jog or run is a far safer activity. Performing home workouts using free weights or other exercise equipment is a great way to get your necessary exercise in during quarantine.
Avoid These Foods
There are many foods out there that can not only damage teeth slowly over time, but also cause them to chip, crack and outright break if eaten too often. If you want to lower your risk of a dental emergency, make sure to skip the following foods:
- Ice cubes
- Hard or chewy candy
- Toffee
- Popcorn (which contains many hard kernels)
- Olives with pits
- Nuts
- Raw Carrots
If you choose to eat hard food that happens to be good for you, make sure to use your molars and never your front teeth. Furthermore, if you have a tendency to chew on pens, pencils or fingernails when stressed, breaking these habits now is a great way to avoid breaking enamel.
Embrace a Tooth-Friendly Diet and Perfect Your Oral Care
Good diet and consistent oral hygiene are some of the best ways to avoid dental emergencies. Brushing twice a day with a fluoridated toothpaste ensures teeth remain strong and flossing daily prevents bacteria from feeding off of missed food particles in between your teeth. If you want to be extra careful, consider adding a fluoridated oral rinse to your routine.
Furthermore, there are many foods you can add to your diet that will promote positive tooth health, including:
- Cheese
- Leafy greens
- Apples
- Celery
- Plain Yogurt
- Milk
- Plain water
With these tips in mind, you’re sure to prevent the need for visiting an emergency dentist during quarantine!
About Torbram Dental
Dr. Fava and Dr. Babahami do everything possible to help their patients practice consistent oral care at home and perform treatments designed to protect their smile and oral health. Whether it’s through routine exams, cleanings or urgent care, they’re always ready to meet your dental needs. If you need help with a dental emergency, you can contact them through their website.