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Anyone looking to restore their smile should consider getting dental crowns in Bridgeport. Aside from treating a badly decayed or damaged tooth, crowns protect the rest of its structure from damage and keep the bite intact. Although crowns are known for their strength and durability, they’re not impervious to damage. However, with proper care, they can provide you with years of healthy and beautiful smiles. 

How to Care for Your Brand-New Dental Crowns 

Steer Clear of Hard and Sticky Foods 

The types of foods you eat can significantly impact your dental crowns’ long-term health. For instance, chewing on hard candies and nuts can chip, crack, or even break your crown. Alternatively, sticky and chewing foods such as caramels and taffy can dislodge your crowns. 

Unless you’re willing to run the risk of replacing your restoration earlier than expected, it’s best to consume these foods in moderation or avoid them when you can. 

Use a Night Guard 

Bruxism is a condition that involves involuntary and habitual clenching and grinding of teeth, usually during sleep. While the normal bite exerts approximately 200 lbs. of pressure per square inch, that pressure significantly increases with clenching and grinding.  Besides eventually wearing down your restoration and the rest of your teeth, this excessive pressure can cause a crown to pop off.  

If you suffer from bruxism, it’s best to address this problem before placing new dental crowns. Wearing a custom oral appliance called a night guard protects your smile by cushioning your teeth and placing your jaw in a more favorable position so that your upper and lower teeth don’t touch while you’re asleep. 

Kick Your Bad Habits 

Bad habits such as biting your nails, chewing on pencils and ice, and using your teeth for tools to open bottle caps and food packages can loosen your dental crowns and break or chip your natural teeth. These habits can also cause you to damage your gums when hard objects splinter and get lodged between your gum tissues.  

Maintain Excellent Oral Hygiene Practices 

While a dental crown may be artificial, the natural supporting tooth structure underneath it is still vulnerable to decay and bacteria. For this reason, patients should practice excellent oral hygiene at home by brushing at least twice a day, flossing daily, and rinsing with antibacterial mouthwash.  

Using a soft-bristled toothbrush eliminates sticky plaque film without leaving scratches on your dental crowns. Moreover, flossing removes food particles and germs trapped or caught between your crowns, gums, or neighboring teeth.  

However, if you’re still using a temporary crown, it’s best not to dislodge it when flossing. Rinsing your mouth daily with an antibacterial mouthwash can help kill oral bacteria and protect your crowns from a host of dental issues.  

See Your Dentist Regularly 

While practicing good oral hygiene habits at home can keep harmful bacteria at bay between dental visits, regular cleanings every six months can remove plaque and tartar in hard-to-reach areas.  

During these biannual visits, your dentist and hygienist will check your dental crowns to ensure they’re in good condition, so they continue to last for years. If they detect any issue, your dental care provider will promptly address it before the problem worsens and costs more to repair.  

Considering Dental Crowns in Bridgeport? 

At Brooklawn Dental Associates, we offer quality dental services to help you achieve the smile of your dreams. Contact us today to make an appointment.