When we make an appointment to see an endodontist, there is usually a pressing reason to do so: an infected tooth needs a root canal, a tooth has been dislodged or knocked out and needs to be placed back in the mouth, etc. While we can’t always avoid situations that lead us to needing endodontic treatment, there are actions we can take that will lower our risk of suffering infected or damaged teeth. Here are a few dental care tips to get your new year off to a great start.
Dental Care Tips for 2017: Priorities for Protecting Your Teeth!
- Prevent tooth decay. Help your natural teeth remain strong by protecting them from plaque by brushing twice daily and flossing once a day. The way your toothbrush is held makes a difference as to how effective your brushing is. The right way to brush your teeth is by holding your toothbrush at a small angle against your teeth. Don’t brush too hard – that just irritates your gums.
- Take care of your gums. Speaking of gums, if you skip out on building a daily oral hygiene regimen and don’t show up for your regular dental check-ups – which gives dental professionals a chance to examine the state of your oral health and clean your teeth thoroughly – you may end up with a gum disease such as gingivitis or periodontitis. Gum diseases produce almost no outward symptoms until they are quite advanced, so it’s important to focus on prevention and receiving regular dental care.
- Protect your teeth from damage. There’s a lot you can do to prevent your teeth from becoming damaged. First and foremost, if you play a contact sport, use a mouth guard. Teeth can also become cracked or chipped through grinding one’s teeth (bruxism), or biting down on a food such as nuts or hard candy. Sometimes the damage to your teeth is not visible to the naked eye; it’s always a good idea to have your dentist examine your teeth if you have symptoms such as only being able to chew on one side of your mouth due to pain, or having a tooth that’s extra sensitive to hot or cold foods.
“Even though proper dental care can’t guarantee that you won’t need to see an endodontist in 2017, it will improve your dental health overall, and that should help you bounce back from any challenges to your teeth that might come your way,” says Dr. Allen, who practices with the Phoenix Endodontic Group.