During the holidays, the last thing you want is a trip to the emergency dentist in Lake Highlands. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, according to the carolers, but whether you’re out of town and unfamiliar with your options in the area, or you’re enjoying the holidays at home, it’s the worst time for a dental emergency.
Accidents happen, but to keep your holiday jolly, consider these four ways to take precautions.
Take Care with the Worst Food Culprits
Not every food-related problem is an emergency, but some foods have a reputation for causing problems for your teeth, including:
- Sticky foods – Toffee, caramels, taffy and other sticky foods are well known for pulling out fillings and dislodging crowns.
- Popcorn – The hulls can get wedged under the gumline.
- Ice
- Anything with pits – Accidentally biting into a cherry or olive pit can loosen a crown.
- Hard candies – Besides the problem of sugar, crushing a hard candy can crack a tooth.
- Bones – An unexpected bit of bone in a favorite dish can break a tooth.
- Nuts – Nuts themselves can be risky, but even worse is chipping a tooth on a hidden piece of shell in that delicious pecan pie!
Enjoy the season’s culinary delights but be attentive to risks to your teeth with these foods.
Take Care of Your Teeth
When daily routines are disrupted – the kids are out of school, your social life ramps up, or you indulge in more treats – it’s easy for oral hygiene habits to get lax. Continue to brush and floss regularly to reduce the chances of waking up in the middle of the night with an unbearable toothache.
Take Care with Cold Weather Conditions
It doesn’t happen often, but when the rare winter storm blows into Dallas, slipping on ice or snow – or in water or mud in our typical Decembers – can result in unexpected tooth damage, even if the only ice you can find is at the Galleria Mall. Be careful out there!
Take Care of Your Treatments Before the Year Ends
If you’ve got benefits that expire with the end of the year, you might be able to avoid unnecessary emergency procedures by scheduling your preventative and restorative dentistry before the holidays. Your cosmetic dentist in Lakewood may spot something that could potentially become a problem during the holidays.
About the Author
Husband and wife team Dr. Mariya Barnett and Dr. Andrew Barnett are transplants to Dallas. They’re committed to being there for their patients experiencing a dental emergency anytime day or night. Between the two of them, they’re ready for just about any type of predicament the holidays may bring. For peace of mind, contact them at (214) 373-9903 if you think your dental issue may require emergency treatment.