River Walk Dental Orthodontics

1431 Palo Alto Rd, Suite 104, San Antonio, TX 78211

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Dental hygiene tips for healthy teeth & gums

5 Tips To Help Your Dental Crowns Last Longer

Dental crowns can assist with normal meal chewing. They can also restore your natural smile. Due to the state of their teeth, many people struggle with poor self-esteem, but dental crowns can help with this problem. However, you must take exceptional care of dental crowns to ensure they last long. 

This blog discusses some expert tips to help your dental crowns last longer. Read the full blog to discover some pro tips.

Sticky and hard foods should be avoided

Even while dental crowns are sturdy and long-lasting, they are susceptible to damage, much like natural teeth. Eating food items that are hard or sticky, such as ice or hard sweets, can cause your crown to chip, crack, or shatter earlier than expected, necessitating a replacement. In addition to causing damage, sticky foods can become lodged between the gum and crown. 

Furthermore, because crowns are made of porcelain, which resists discoloration of dental crowns, they cannot be whitened like natural teeth. It is advisable to have a professional whitening procedure before having a crown placed to ensure that the color of your crown matches the shade of your teeth. In this way, even after subsequent teeth-whitening procedures, your dental crown will still match the color of your teeth.

You should brush and floss when you have dental crowns

Even though your crown is a man-made structure, it is still crucial to preserve the health of the tooth it is affixed to by practicing regular dental hygiene. To keep the crown in good shape and remove any plaque accumulation, it must be lightly brushed. Additionally, flossing is essential because bacteria and food fragments can still get wedged between the crown and the gum or another tooth. Care must be taken not to disturb a temporary crown when flossing around it, but once a permanent crown is in place, routine flossing is permitted. Even with a crown, sensitivity to hot or cold meals is common.

If you suffer from pain, using toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth is advised. To ensure that the crown and supporting tooth remain healthy, it’s also crucial to stay away from hard or sticky foods that could harm the crown and go for routine dental examinations.

A night guard can be used for dental crowns

Even though you might be able to control your teeth grinding and clenching during the day, doing it at night is more difficult, and many people aren’t even aware they are doing it. Although it might not first seem to be a serious problem, grinding and clenching over time can harm your teeth. 

Normal biting exerts 200 pounds of pressure per square inch, but clenching and grinding can increase this pressure, making your crown more prone to harm. So the crown is protected.

Can a dental crown get altered if it doesn’t fit well?

After receiving a dental crown, it’s crucial to get it corrected as quickly as possible if you feel pain or discomfort. It is particularly true if the dental crown differs in length or width from the neighboring teeth, which can cause jaw pain or harm nearby teeth. A person’s bite may alter over time, which can potentially lead to discomfort in the crown. 

Visit a dentist if you experience difficulty speaking or chewing. Additionally, it’s crucial to have the crown reattached if it breaks loose for any reason to prevent infection or harm to the tooth underneath.

Practice excellent oral hygiene when you have a dental crown

Practice good oral hygiene to keep the dental crowns in top shape. It is advised to floss everyday and clean your teeth twice a day. To avoid plaque buildup, which can harm the dental crown and surrounding teeth, it is especially crucial to floss between teeth.

Avoiding foods high in sugar and acid can help prevent tooth decay and the development of plaque-causing bacteria. Plaque accumulation can be avoided so that the tooth’s root remains healthy and the dental crown doesn’t get loose or become infected.