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How To Prevent a Dental Emergency – Rowlett, TX

Taking Proactive Steps to Protect Their Smile

A mother and her son seated outside on a couch and smiling after avoiding a dental emergency in Rowlett

As a parent, you want to protect your child’s smile at all costs. Every time they go outside to ride their bike, play football with friends, or go swimming, there is likely a small part of your mind that worries something bad will happen. It is not uncommon for most children to face a dental emergency. Their lack of fear often causes them to attempt or do things that can lead to a knocked-out tooth or busted lip. No matter the type of injury, there are ways you can better protect their teeth and gums from potential harm. How? At Rowlett Dental Kids, Dr. Pollack is pleased to offer some helpful tips to consider that will work to keep your little one’s smile healthy and injury-free.

Watch What They Eat

A little girl in a pink dress and headband smiling while holding a sandwich with lettuce on it

If your child has a choice between broccoli or a small bag of chips, I think most parents would agree that their little one would choose the latter. Sugar and starch seem to be the foods that kids flock to, as they are often behind some of the most “delicious” snacks (i.e. candy, chips, crackers, juice). Unfortunately, the sugars and starches within them can lead to tooth decay and cavities if overconsumed. Instead, give your children a choice between two healthier alternatives – an apple or a few cheese cubes.

Also, make sure your child isn’t chewing on anything hard or crunchy, especially ice, as this can damage their teeth and cause cracks or fractures to develop.

Protect Their Precious Teeth and Gums

A little boy wearing a yellow shirt and holding a blue mouthguard in his left hand

A mouthguard can be your child’s best friend when preparing to go outside and play. Engaging in outdoor activities can often lead to dental emergencies, no matter if it is a multiplayer contact sport or solo bike ride. Dr. Pollack can provide your child with a custom-made mouthguard that will not only fit comfortably but also minimize impact and damage should they experience a hard tackle or take a tumble off their bike.

This type of protection isn’t only helpful when it comes to sports. It’s also great for kids who grind their teeth at night. By ensuring your child wears their mouthguard when going to bed, this will keep their teeth from touching each other throughout the night, and it will relax the jaw and facial muscles to keep them from tensing up and grinding.

Ensure They Maintain Good Oral Hygiene

A little girl with messy hair using a child’s toothbrush to clean her teeth in the morning

Establishing a good oral hygiene routine while your child is young is vitally important. Not only are their teeth more prone to decay and cavities because of their minimal dexterity when it comes to brushing and flossing, but it helps them to take pride in their smile from an early age. Make sure they are brushing their teeth twice a day for two minutes and using fluoride toothpaste. If they are younger than 3 years of age, they will only need a smear (the size of a grain of rice) of toothpaste. Once they are at least 3 years old, this can be increased to a pea-sized amount.

It is also important that they floss their teeth at least once before bed and rinse with an ADA-approved mouthwash. Not only will this routine remove harmful bacteria and food particles from their mouth, but the fluoride will help strengthen tooth enamel and protect against tooth decay. Not to mention your child will have a healthy, fresh breath, which is another reason to smile.

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