National Dental Emergencies on the Rise for People Ages 21-34!!!

If you are between the ages of 21-34 you may want to pay attention. However all of you may find this interesting so please continue. The American Dental Association has recently released a research paper stating that the number of emergency room visits have nearly doubled in the United States in a 10-year period, due to dental problems. According to The ADA, the number of visits related to problems with teeth grew from 1.1 million in 2000 to 2.1 million in 2010. In regards to all ER visits, dental-related visits grew from 1.06 percent to 1.65 percent during that time period, according to statistics obtained from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.

So why is this happening? Unfortunately  young adults ages 21 to 34 are accounting for the increase in ER visits, probably  because many don't have dental insurance, the research paper concluded. However let's explore a different situation. Most people ages 21-34 drive their own car and are well aware of necessary oil changes. If your car is ignored,  you will know that serious damages to your car can happen in the long run. A new engine perhaps? Wow, that's very expensive by the way, so we hope you maintain that as well. This analogy is similar to your oral health, regular cleanings and exams will keep the oral cavity in great health.

Your oral health says so much about you. It says hello when you smile and greet people. The human eye say it's under surveillance and you breathe on people when talking, so you may want a fresh odor in your mouth or at least not an unpleasant one.

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Let's Talk About Solutions Shall We? Preventative thinking,  regular checkups, asking dental questions and requesting a payment option (Care Credit, etc) are just to name a few. However, let's go through a few specific ways on how ages 21-34 year olds can decrease their chances of emergency dental visits.

-Where There's a Will, There's a Pay! - swap the extra shopping for dental work, stop the lattes for a month in exchange for a cleaning, you know yourself better than anyone else. Find a way to cut corners if you are in a financial bind.  You can do it and it's also a great way to organize or swap your overall spending, which is a useful tool to utilize daily.

-Better Diet - stay away from sugary and starchy foods. Have foods like nuts, high fiber fruits and vegetables and drink lots of water. Sugary foods and beverages attack the enamel on your teeth and can lead to cavities, but fiber foods have a detergent effect in your mouth (according to The ADA). Foods with fiber also stimulate saliva flow, which naturally defends cavities. Choices like these are not only beneficial for your oral health, but your overall health as well.

-Mouth Guard- chances are that in this economy your stress levels may be up which leads to teeth grinding, which can lead to chipped teeth.  When boxers fight, they wear a mouth guard and although you may not get hit with a glove when sleeping, you may get hit with the stresses of life......so why not protect them? Asking your dentist the right questions will help you take preventative measures. For example, do my teeth shift with age? The answer is yes! So not only will a mouth guard protect you teeth grinders, it will also make sure your teeth stay in place. Spending some money on a mouth guard is also a lot cheaper than braces!

-Don't Delay- the longer you wait to see your dentist, the greater your chance is of having more dental problems. More problems equal more necessary dental work, which of course may lead to a greater bill. So why not visit the dentist at least 2 times per year? Keep your mouth healthy and avoid any serious dental health problems. You will feel healthy, clean and assured. To everyone and especially you 21-34 year olds,  we wish you and your mouth a healthy future!