A dental crown covers the remaining part of a living tooth that has been shaped to fit under the crown. While a dental crown is unlikely to experience "health" problems, it can be damaged, and the tooth underneath it can have health problems. West Gate Dental in Lincoln, NE, has been crowning teeth and helping patients keep healthy teeth for decades.
Brush Your Crown Like It's a Regular Tooth
It's not as though you can brush around the crown anyway. Trying to brush the natural teeth on either side of the crowned tooth is usually impossible. Brush the crowned tooth like any other tooth. This keeps bacteria from getting below the gumline.
Floss Anyway
You should have really healthy gum tissue surrounding that crown. The healthy gum tissue is what holds the bit of natural tooth in place and keeps the crowned tooth from falling out. Floss the gums under and around the crowned tooth to keep the gums from becoming infected or inflamed with gingivitis.
Don't Bite Down on Really Hard Foods
Any dentist will tell you that a crowned tooth will only last if you do not bite down on really hard foods or use the crowned tooth to bite on non-food items. Composite crowns and dental resin crowns will not last if you are biting on jawbreakers or hard candies. Even the porcelain crowns may become chipped or fractured this way. Avoid anything that is harder to bite or chew than your crown can withstand. If you aren't sure, ask your West Lincoln dentist what foods to avoid, and never bite non-food items with a crowned tooth.
Wear a Mouthguard If Needed
The two worst things a crowned tooth faces are sports injuries to the face and nighttime bruxism (i.e., teeth grinding). To protect your crowned tooth (or teeth), ask your dentist about a mouthguard. A sports mouthguard should be worn whenever you participate in contact sports, and your mouth could be hit. A nighttime mouthguard protects all your teeth against grinding while you sleep. Be sure to wear your guards consistently to extend the life of your dental crown(s).
Get Regular Dental Checkups
Regular dental checkups include x-rays of your teeth to make sure nothing out of the ordinary is missed. If a cavity starts forming on the remaining tooth nub under the crown, an x-ray and/or regularly scheduled dental exam will spot it. Treatment for the cavity preserves the tooth nub, and in turn, prevents you from losing the crown that protects that tooth.
Visit West Gate Dental for All Your Dental Needs!
Visit West Gate Dental in Lincoln, NE, if you have a tooth that needs a crown or other dental needs. The caring team of dentists and hygienists is here to help!