Some of the best ways to take care of and prolong the life of your dental bridges in Bridlewood actually, ironically enough, have seemingly nothing to do with your bridge at all.
The integrity, function, and strength of your bridge depends greatly on the health of the underlying tooth. The health and strength of the tooth on which your bridge relies in turn depends greatly on the health of your gum tissue. So what’s one of the best ways to take care of dental bridges near you? Take care of your teeth and gums. Here’s how to do both of those things with special attention to how to tweak your habits to take your dental bridges into account.
Brush your teeth
Are you surprised that this appears first on the list? Probably not, but it’s first for two reasons: it’s essential and it’s easy. It’s essential because brushing helps to eliminate the accumulation of plaque and tartar that produce tooth decay that will eventually destroy the tooth material that your crowns rely on to hold your traditional, cantilever, Maryland or resin bridges in position. Brushing your teeth will protect those underlying teeth and thus preserve the integrity of the bridge. The other reason? It’s easy. It’s so easy that we’ll add a step to the advice: when brushing your teeth, be sure to brush your bridge itself. The bridge isn’t vulnerable to tooth decay but that doesn’t mean plaque won’t accumulate on the surfaces of the bridge. (Guess what’s next? Flossing! Take it from us — floss regularly between and around every tooth every time.)
Use mouthwash, but not just any mouthwash
Using mouthwash is a good way to keep your breath fresh. Some mouthwashes may even help to whiten your teeth or to keep your teeth white. Those are both good goals, but here’s another: using a mouthwash that contains fluoride can help to restore minerals lost from your teeth and protect your teeth from tooth decay. If you use mouthwash anyway, up the ante by using a mouthwash with fluoride. Even if you’re not already a mouthwash user, consider using a mouthwash — with fluoride — to protect your teeth and your bridge. If you’re not sure what brand to use, ask a dentist in Bridlewood what they recommend.
What not to do
Those first two things to do to protect and care for your dental bridges were pretty straightforward. Here’s a few things not to do: Don’t chew ice. Don’t chew hard candy or other hard foods. Don’t use your teeth as if they were a wrench or a pair of scissors. (Use a wrench or pair of scissors instead.) We don’t just mean the artificial teeth supported by your bridge, either. Your natural and artificial teeth are strong, powerful and durable, but all these activities expose them to pressures and torque that are unnatural and put the integrity of dental work (and your own natural teeth) at risk.
If all goes well, a well-prepared dental bridge prepared and placed by a professional and conscientious dentist can be expected to last for a decade or more. You can shorten that lifespan markedly by ignoring this advice, or you can maximize the lifespan of your bridge and the value of your investment by following these simple dos and don’ts — and by attending regular dental appointments with a dentist near you. Your dentist at EverSmile Dental will take a close look at all your dental work at every appointment and let you know if there are any issues that need to be addressed at any time.
