Dental care is an integral piece to your overall oral health, but even the best practices can’t always protect you from injury. Whether it’s a chipped or knocked out tooth, you can take preventative steps to help reduce the likelihood of these injuries occurring. Utilize the following tips for injury prevention to ensure your dental care practices are both purposeful and beneficial.

Common Dental Injuries

One of the most prevalent dental injuries you can incur is a chipped or fractured tooth, which is often the result of eating hard foods, large fillings that compromise the tooth integrity, or weakening from teeth grinding. If you notice your tooth is chipped or fractured, schedule an appointment with a dentist to have the severity evaluated. If the break is minor, a small filling can be applied to the area to smooth it out and improve the overall structure of the tooth. However, if more severe damage was sustained, you may need to get a crown to provide stability.

Trauma to the face during physical activity or an accident can knock out a tooth. This type of injury warrants prompt treatment from your dentist, which may involve an implant or bridge to replace the missing tooth.

How to Prevent Dental Injuries

Following proper dental care habits can help reduce your risk of oral injury. Besides basic steps like regular brushing and flossing to keep your teeth strong, that also means using the right gear to protect your smile from trauma. Mouth and night guards are typically recommended for children who play contact sports or grind their teeth at night.

Whether you need advice on the best dental care practices for your child or are simply looking for a new dentist, families in Honolulu, HI, trust Pedodontic Associates. The professionals on staff have offered vital dental services for the last 25 years, ranging from routine cleanings and checkups to fillings and mouthguards. To learn more about how they can help care for your child’s smile, visit them online or call (808) 735-1733.