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May 20, 2022Dental crowns are among the most commonly used options for restoring missing teeth. In addition to fixing one’s smile and facial esthetics, dental bridges improve chewing efficiency and speech. However, like all dental restorations and prostheses, dental bridges need to be looked after and maintained properly. This blog discusses various tips that can help you take care of dental bridges and enhance clinical life.
1. Self-care for Dental Bridges
When it comes to dental bridges, self-care can significantly prolong their service life. Some of the aspects you need to consider regarding dental bridges self-care include:
Oral Hygiene Maintenance
Whether natural or artificial teeth, optimal oral hygiene maintenance can go a long way in keeping them healthy and problem-free.
- Brushing – the American Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth at least twice daily using fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled brush. Regular brushing prevents plaque and tartar deposition on the natural teeth and the bridge, thereby preventing gum inflammation and soft-tissue infections.
- Flossing – while brushing effectively cleans the teeth, it is not sufficient to prevent plaque build-up in the tight interdental spaces and around the tooth bridges. Therefore, flossing should be done daily to ensure optimal cleaning around dental prostheses and natural teeth.
- Mouth Rinse – an antibacterial and fluoride-containing mouth rinse is effective in preventing tooth decay and gum problems. It is also effective in ensuring optimal soft tissue health around dental bridges.
2. Tooth-friendly Diet
- Fiber-rich Diet – eating a fiber-rich diet provides a natural cleansing effect and prevents plaque deposition around the teeth and food impaction below the bridges.
- Cutting Down on Sugars – eating sugary and acidic foods and drinks can go a long way in preventing tooth decay and gum disease in natural teeth that support the dental bridge.
- Avoid Hard and Sticky Foods – dentists ask patients with dental bridges to avoid hard and sticky foods like nuts, candies, and chocolates. This is because such foods can either fracture or dislodge the bridges, necessitating bridge replacement.
- Quit Smoking – all kinds of tobacco products are harmful to our oral health. The most significant adverse effect of smoking on our oral health is the deterioration in bone health and density. As a result, there is a high risk of natural teeth – including those that support a bridge – becoming mobile – resulting in tooth loss and bridge dislodgement.
3. Professional Care for Dental Bridges
Regular Dental Checkups
The American Dental Association recommends visiting your dentist regularly for checkups. The frequency of these visits will be decided by your dentist depending on your oral hygiene status. For example, if your dentist feels that your teeth are prone to developing cavities, they may ask you to visit every three months to monitor your oral health closely.
Whenever you visit your dentist for a checkup, they will thoroughly examine your teeth, gums, and artificial teeth for underlying problems. They will also visualize the x-ray images of your teeth, bridges, or crowns and evaluate their status. If they find any issue, for example, tooth decay in one of the supporting teeth or loosening of the bridge, they will fix it immediately. In this way, visiting your dentist or hygienist for checkups can go a long way in ensuring the long clinical life of your dental bridges.
Dental bridges are effective in restoring one’s smile and self-confidence. However, if you want your tooth bridges to last for a long time, you must look after them thoroughly, and the supporting teeth. It has been shown that with proper care and maintenance, dental bridges can last for up to 15 years – even longer. The good news is that maintenance requirements for dental bridges are just like how you care for your natural teeth. So, start looking after your teeth through oral hygiene maintenance and regular dental checkups and say goodbye to dental problems.