An oral injury or dental emergency can happen in your mouth, just like any other part of the body. While you can never completely prevent one from happening, your The Dental Office of Encino dentist offers these simple tips to help reduce your chances of suffering an oral emergency in Encino, California.

First off, it’s always a good idea to stock all of your first-aid kits with a few common oral health care items, like waxed floss, salt packets and topical oral analgesic. Having these basic items on hand will help you provide fast first aid when an oral emergency does happen.

You should also curtail bad habits like chewing on pens and pencils, crunching on ice and using your teeth as tools. This can easily lead to tooth chips, fractures and cracks or even harmed gums.

You should always wear a mouthguard while participating in contact sports. Depending on the sport and your personal preference, Dr. Alan M. Howard and Yonatan Howard can help recommend the right mouthguard for you. If you’re interested, we could even help fit you for a custom mouthguard.

Grinding your teeth at night can result in chips and fractures on the biting surfaces of your teeth. It could even cause TMJ disorder in the joints that hinge your mouth. Your dentist can fit you for a custom night guard that will comfortably conform to the unique shape of your mouth. This will allow you to sleep easy and prevent further damage

If you have questions about other ways you can help prevent oral injuries and emergencies, you can always call The Dental Office of Encino.