Crucial Tips To Keep Dental Bridges, Crowns, & Veneers In Great Shape

How To Protect & Maintain Your Dental Appliances

You recently had some work done on your mouth by a dentist in Glendale and the result was either a dental bridge, crown, or a veneer. Now you love how your mouth looks… and you want to keep it that way. But what can you do? It takes a bit of work, but not an overwhelming amount.

Read on to learn how to protect & maintain your dental appliances.

Brush, Floss & Rinse Regularly To Avoid Tooth Decay

You need to do the things that prevent you from needing more dental work in the first place. That means that you follow a dental routine day in and day out and make sure that you do it correctly each time. It’s such a small time commitment when you think about it… and the rewards are tremendous.

The most important thing is to brush your teeth properly. Using either a manual toothbrush or an electric one, spend 2 minutes each time carefully getting all four quadrants of your mouth. That equals 30 seconds at a time. If you brush manually, don’t do it too hard, you can irritate your gums and possibly damage the appliance. If you use an electric one, be sure to just let the brush glide over the teeth and let it do all the work.

As far as flossing goes, use a smooth motion and don’t do it too hard. There might be some bleeding at first, but as you do it regularly, then that will stop. Flossing is important, since it can get rid of food particles that your brush might have missed. People often forget about this part, but it’s a necessary part of your daily routine.

Using a mouthwash at the end can also help get rid of food particles. The fluoride in the mouthwash can also protect your teeth and dental appliances overnight.

Whitening Toothpaste Can Help Maintain The Color Of Your Veneers & Crowns

Here is something that can keep your teeth and your dental appliances looking nice and white. The toothpaste has hydrogen peroxide in it, which plays a huge part in keeping your teeth looking nice and white. This can also help your veneers and your crowns keep their white appearance.

All you have to do is use the whitening toothpaste when you brush your teeth. Just use it as directed and your teeth should look great, provided that you do the other things that are listed in this post.

Avoid Drinks That Can Cause Tooth Stains

There are a lot of drinks out there that taste delicious and can go a long way toward slaking your thirst. But they can also stain your teeth and make you have to work harder to regain that white appearance. These drinks include:

• Red wine
• Dark sodas like cola
• Fruit punch
• Coffee

This doesn’t mean that you have to avoid all of these beverages. You just have them in moderation… and you can consider using a straw to drink them, since they will spend less time on your teeth that way.

Stay Away From Foods That Can Break Dental Crowns & Bridges

Not only do you want to keep your dental appliances looking white, you want them staying intact. That means you want to avoid eating things that can damage them. They are made of strong material, but they are far from being indestructible.
These are some foods that can do damage:

• Hard candy
• Nuts
• Apples
• Raw vegetables
• Sticky candy like taffy or gum
• Ice

There are a lot of food choices out there that are safe for your crowns and bridges. Also eat possible staining foods like blueberries or raspberries in moderation. You can still enjoy a very varied diet and not feel like you are limiting yourself.

All in all, you don’t have to do anything too out of the ordinary to keep your dental appliances looking both white and intact. By getting them, you are enabling yourself to talk and chew much like you did in the past. If you follow these suggestions, you can enjoy them for a very long time.

Visit Your Dentist For Regular Cleanings

Another way you can help maintain them is to visit your dentist for regular cleanings. They can also monitor your teeth and the state of your dental work. If you live in the Glendale, Arizona area, you can come to Aesthetic Dentistry of Arrowhead. The staff will gladly help you. Give them a call today to make an appointment: 623-400-6024.

This guest blog is courtesy of Bethpage Smiles Family Dental, a family dental office with locations in both Bethpage, New York and Hicksville, New York.