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Sometimes, it's just going to happen and there's nothing you can do about it. A broken tooth can result from running into a door, getting hit in the mouth accidentally, even being on the unlucky end of a fast-moving stray hockey puck while innocently watching a game. When this kind of unfortunate event happens, remember to see a dentist immediately: there is probably one in your town that specializes in urgent dental care and is open 24 hours. Meanwhile, here are some of the best ways to avoid breaking a tooth in the first place. -- One of the most common ways to lose a tooth is by participating in sports without wearing proper mouth protection. Sports like hockey, football, and boxing require mouth guards because the likelihood of suffering a mouth injury is so high. But there are other contact sports where a mouth guard could serve as an extra layer of protection, such as basketball, rugby, and even soccer. They are not just for teens and adults: make sure your children wear them too. Younger athletes are not as savvy about avoiding injury and are therefore more prone to accident. -- Watch what you eat. Certain foods are known to be more likely to cause tooth breakage: unpopped popcorn kernels, olives with pits, cherries, and nuts that come with shells. These types of foods are the kind we just popped into our mouths without thinking, and we may forget that they have pits or are too hard for our teeth to handle. These foods should not be confused with harder ones that are good for our teeth such as raw carrots and apples: these are great choices. -- Ice is a no-no. Too many people like to chew on ice at the bottom of the glass after the drink is gone. Habitual ice chewing chips away at the strength of the tooth enamel until a breakage eventually occurs. Resist the temptation, and stay away from ice. -- Do not put things in your mouth that don't belong there. Are you the kind of person who puts a pen in his mouth and bites on it, just as a nervous habit? Biting down on pens and pencils and using teeth to open packages or tear off plastic clothing tags is never a good idea. Teeth are meant for eating, and are not designed to be used as tools. -- Make sure to visit a dentist regularly to make sure your mouth is staying healthy. Sometimes old fillings can come loose or cause a tooth to weaken, making it more vulnerable to breakage. A dentist will catch these kinds of problems and be able to fix them before you suffer a painful incident.
Article Source: http://www.articlesarticles.net
Urgent Dental (www.urgentdentalusa.com) is a 24hours emergency dental clinic and located in Dayton, Ohio. Art Gib is a freelance writer.
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