Protect Your Child From Dental Emergencies

When you have children at home, an ordinary day can turn into a dental emergency in the blink of an eye!

Every parent knows how much little kids l've putting things in their mouth – and we're not just talking about food here! It's innate in children to be curious about the world around them, and that often involves wanting to taste whatever they land their hands on. Older kids, on the other hand, are often hyperactive, which explains their incline for games and sports.

How To Protect Kids From Dental Emergencies

While you can’t totally avoid emergency dental work in children, especially if they are fond playing contact sports, parents can help prevent dental emergencies through these simple habits and practices:

1. Make dental care fun.

Children quickly lose interest in things when doing them feels like a chore. Parents who manage to make dental care an enjoyable and educational experience have better chances of instilling good dental care habits on their kids.

Have them draw pictures or tell them stories that encourage proper oral hygiene and teeth-care. If you have six or seven-year-olds who are starting to lose teeth, tell them a story about how the tooth fairy favors milk teeth that fall out naturally. This will prevent them from pushing on a loose tooth to dislodge it. Putting too much pressure on a milk tooth can damage the gums and lead to more intense bleeding.

2. Encourage excellent oral care routine at home.

Make sure to stress the importance of brushing at least twice a day – in the morning and before they go to bed at night.

Teach your children how to brush their teeth properly. Remember that thorough tooth-brushing takes no less than two minutes. Using a timer or a stopwatch help ensure they spend enough time cleaning their teeth and makes the activity more fun as well!

Aside from proper brushing, interdental cleaning is also a must. Failure to floss regularly can leave the area between teeth uncleaned and increase the risk of tooth decay and gum disease. Try using unwaxed dental floss; they are thinner than standard flosses and are easier to slide into tighter spaces between teeth.

3. Reduce intake of sugary food and treats.

Frequent snacking on sugary food and beverages increases the acidity inside the mouth. This acid by-product attacks the tooth enamel and gets rid of some essential minerals, thus weakening the teeth.

When you let your kids eat sweets too often, the repeated acid attacks will eventually wear out their teeth enamel, and lead to cavities. Since most kids love sweet food, it is up to the parents to regulate their sugar intake and remind them to brush their teeth afterward to reduce potential damage.

Aside from sweets, you should also avoid giving children super hard foods like candies or lollipops that may chip their milk teeth when they bite on them. Cracks in the tooth allow bacteria to enter and creates decay.

4. Have them wear protective mouthguards when playing sports.

Contact sports have caused many dental emergencies. If your kids are into basketball, baseball, or any game where they might take a blow to the mouth, always make them wear a mouthguard for ultimate protection.

Too many children have sustained chips and cracks on their teeth while playing sports. Some had it worse and got their teeth knocked out. But not only is the experience harrowing for children; restorative dental treatment does not come cheap as well.

5. In case of persistent dental pain or broken tooth, visit the dentist ASAP!

A nagging toothache causes extreme discomfort in children and could be a telltale sign of having a cavity. Tooth pains are a sign that something is wrong inside, and you should not ignore it even if it goes away after some time. The sooner you seek professional dental care, the better the chance of saving your kid’s tooth.

In case of a chipped or cracked tooth, schedule an appointment, and take your child to the dentist as soon as you can. Even if the injury isn't causing any pain, delaying the repair of the damaged tooth exposes it to bacteria that may cause infection or decay. A quick fix helps avoid unnecessary toothache and eliminates the possibility of more extensive and expensive treatments in the future.

6. Schedule a regular dental check-up for your kids.

Proper dental care is a habit that should start as early as possible. There are dental treatments specific to protecting young teeth. These should help keep your child's teeth in excellent condition and reduce the chance of medical emergencies.

Also, surveys report that children who were accustomed to seeing the dentist at a young age are less likely to develop fears and phobias towards dental procedures.

Register Your Family With A Reliable Dental Office

No matter how hard you try to prevent dental emergencies, they can still happen. Emergency dental treatment can cause a huge inconvenience to your busy life, but they are necessary to relieve your children of the discomfort and pain. Every family must find an experienced local dentist with hours that fit their work-life schedule and can accommodate them during urgent situations.

Written By:

Stephanie McGuire is the content writer at Glendale Dental Group, an emergency dental office located in sunny, Arizona. When not writing, she enjoys traveling and playing volleyball with her friends.

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Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.