How To Prevent Gum And Tooth Problems Around Your Dental Crown

Posted on: 23 July 2017

If you have had a tooth replaced with a dental implant, you likely have a beautiful dental crown that has replaced the natural crown of your lost tooth. Dental crowns that are used in single-tooth restorations are often made of tooth-colored material, such as porcelain or porcelain-over-metal, to ensure that the crown is difficult to distinguish from a natural tooth. Still, some dental patients begin with a beautiful crown that is flush with their gums and looks completely natural, but later develops gum recession and exposed roots near the crown. This can be especially problematic, because not only will the crown look less attractive, but the exposed roots are subject to dental decay that can cause bone loss. 

Here are a few measures you can take to prevent gum and tooth problems around your dental crown.

Brush the crown as you would a natural tooth.

A dental crown is not made of a material that can decay, but it is still adjacent to gingival tissue and natural teeth. As a result, the plaque that accumulates on a dental crown can cause issues with your oral health.

Gum disease develops due to inflammation from bacterial acids, and plaque that accumulates near the gum line is often the culprit. Plaque is a sticky mixture of oral bacteria and food particles. The stickiness is due to the biofilm emitted by the oral bacteria.

As the microbes in the plaque digest carbohydrates in your mouth, they release byproducts, including acid. Acid decays the teeth by demineralizing the tooth enamel, but it also irritates or inflames the gums. Thus, it is important to remove the plaque from your natural teeth and dental crowns regularly.

Brushing a dental crown as you would a natural tooth helps minimize the amount of plaque on the device, so your gums and teeth remain protected.

Floss around your crown. 

Flossing around your crown is also important, as it removes plaque from the interdental spaces, which may be hard to reach using a toothbrush alone. As you floss, be sure to use strong floss that does not shred or break apart easily. Bits of floss that become stuck between a tooth and a dental crown accumulate plaque and can further exacerbate gum issues and tooth problems. 

Also, it can be helpful to add the use of an oral irrigator to your oral hygiene regimen. The irrigator or water flosser can release a stream of water that can reach below the surface of the gums to clear away plaque that may lie between the crown and the implant. This can promote better gum health and lessen the likelihood of an oral infection that reaches the jawbone.

To learn more about caring for your dental crown, contact a business like Webster Cosmetic Dental LTD.

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