Improve Your Smile With Cosmetic Dentistry

Keep Those Dental Bridges Looking Good With These Cleaning Steps

5 July 2017 by Christy Long

Dental bridges are permanent fixtures, which means that if you don't take care of the bridge, your teeth aren't going to look that good. If you want all that work and money to pay off, you have to maintain the bridge properly, and that means daily care that doesn't skimp on anything just because the bridge teeth are fake.

Brush That Bridge

Brush the bridge just like you would your real teeth. Brushing twice a day is now more important than ever, because you want the anchor teeth, if you have a bridge that is cemented to two other teeth, to stay in good shape. If one of the anchor teeth starts to develop problems, that could affect the entire bridge.

Even if the bridge style you have is one where a small implant has been inserted into the jaw to hold the pontic, or fake tooth, you don't want your other teeth decaying. More work can stress out your mouth even more and make it harder to eat.

Floss Under the Bridge and Around Implements

No matter what style of bridge you have, floss around it. Use floss threaders to get floss under the pontic; remember, the entire bridge is not cemented down onto the gum. You may want to talk to your dentist about which floss types may result in the least amount of irritation.

A water pick can also be a good investment because it helps remove loose debris between teeth, gums, pontics, and any other implements that are part of the bridge without requiring anything to slither along your gums. Be especially careful about flossing or using the pick around the metal part that adheres to other teeth for that style of bridge. That's a tough area to clean and it can be prone to developing a lot of plaque.

Also be sure your dentist cleans well around that area when you go in for cleanings. You might want to go a little more often for cleanings to be sure nothing really bad is building up.

Watch What You Eat

Bridges are tough, but you're best off being careful about what you eat. Don't crunch down on ice cubes on the side of the mouth that has the bridge, for example. You don't want to risk cracking the bridge, because replacement can be time-consuming and bothersome.

Speak with your dentist about the different styles of bridges and what they require. These can be good alternatives to full implants if you're squeamish about those. If you're interested in finding out more, visit a site such as http://premierdentalgrp.com/.

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