It can sometimes seem like dental emergencies crop out of nowhere, but this is very rarely the case. Most of the time a toothache or broken oral appliance are a result of long-standing health problems, which means that if you’re smart about your dental hygiene you may be able to prevent almost all of them.

The most painless and cost-effective way to deal with a dental emergency is to prevent it in the first place. Here’s are a few steps you can take to make that happen.