Dental Emergencies

Preventing dental emergencies: Spotting a problem

Accidents happen to everyone, no matter how lucky, graceful or talented they may be. When accidents cause a dental injury, the result can be devastating to your mouth.

Whether you've been playing contact sport, using your teeth as a tool or simply chewing on something extra crunchy, your teeth are not indestructible - all of these scenarios can cause a dental emergency.

Fortunately, Stephen Chimes Dentistry offer emergency dental services to look after you when an accident happens outside of normal business hours. If you've suffered a dental injury, it's important that you consult a regular or emergency dentist.

However, there are also certain precautions you can take to prevent some of the most common dental accidents.

No more crunching

Eating is one of the most common causes of a broken, cracked or chipped tooth, as well as lost fillings. These injuries usually occur when people are crunching on foods like popcorn kernels, hard lollies or ice. One of the easiest ways to prevent an eating-related dental emergency is to stay away from hard foods that require significant pressure to bite into – from a dental perspective, foods that are harder than your tooth enamel.

Know the importance of mouthguards

Knocked out teeth, broken jaws and cuts in the mouth often occur during contact sports when players are not wearing mouthguards. Getting a custom-made mouthguard - and then wearing it for sport and other recreational activities - is one of the easiest ways to avoid a serious dental emergency caused by a sports injury.

Other types of mouthguards can protect you from cracking, chipping and general tooth aches. If you have been waking up with serious headaches, you may have a condition known as bruxism – the grinding of your teeth in your sleep. Ask your dentist if a sleeping mouthguard could benefit you.

Teeth are not tools

Teeth are important tools for eating, but for cutting tape, ripping open plastic bags and other everyday tasks? Not so much. As tempting as it is to use our teeth to help us for jobs around the house, these situations frequently cause injury to teeth and/or gums, like a fractured tooth.

For all our patients’ convenience we are open every Saturday and with extended opening hours during the week. If you are struck with a Dental Emergency, contact us at Stephen Chimes Dentistry on 02 9388 1400.