Accidents happen and they can happen in your mouth just as easily as any other part of the body. However, there are some things you can do to reduce the chances of an oral injury or dental emergency.

If you are participating in contact sports, you should wear a mouthguard. Your dentist can fit you for a custom mouth guard, designed to fit your teeth comfortably without impeding your breathing. New research has even found that custom mouth guards can help reduce the chances of suffering a concussion and certain brain injuries.

Using your teeth as tools is a common cause of chips and fractures. Try to always avoid biting things, like string or opening plastic bags with your teeth. Taking the extra few seconds to find a scissors greatly reduces the chance of damage to your teeth.

Try to break bad habits like chewing hard objects like ice, popcorn hulls and hard candy. Crunching down hard on these things can cause extreme pressure to your teeth and cause a fracture or crack.

If you grind your teeth on a regular basis, you should talk to your dentist about a custom night guard. Chronic night grinding can cause chips and fractures on your back teeth and can even lead to TMJ disorder.

If you have questions regarding things you can do to reduce the chances of suffering an oral injury or dental emergency, please feel free to call us at [phone] to set up an appointment.