3 Tips For Flossing While You Have Temporary Dental Crowns

Posted on: 18 May 2017

If you have recently had temporary dental crowns placed, you may wonder if there is anything special you need to do to take care of them. If so, use the following three tips for flossing between temporary crowns.

Use The Right Dental Floss

While you may think all dental floss is made the same, there are a few options available. One key to taking care of your temporary crowns is to choose the right one that will not snag on the bottom and pull on the crown. Dental floss is not just one string, but it contains multiple strands. Some products do not have wax on them so the strings become loose as you floss. When choosing your floss, select one that has a waxy film on it. Using this type of floss keeps the strands from pulling on the crown, potentially popping it loose from the metal implant abutment. 

Learn A Different Technique

Once you have the right dental floss, you may need to learn a new technique for using it to ensure you do not damage your crown. Many people learn how to floss by sliding it in between their teeth, then pulling it straight up to go to the next space. Doing it this way could dislodge the crown, necessitating a trip back to your cosmetic dentist to have it reset. Instead of pulling it straight out, learn to slide it out from between your teeth. This removes the upward pressure on the bottom edge of the crown, minimizing any risk of removing it.

Floss After Every Meal

Although it is always important that you floss after every meal, it is even more vital that you do so when you have temporary crowns. Since these crowns are not permanently attached to your mouth, tiny spaces exist at the base of them. When you eat, food particles can become lodged in these spaces, making them difficult to remove by brushing alone.

If you do not floss after you eat, the food that becomes trapped becomes a magnet for bacteria. Since your gums may still be healing after the implant insertion procedure, this could potentially lead to an infection.

Using the above tips can help you keep your temporary dental crowns clean and intact until you receive your permanent ones. If you have any other questions about caring for your crowns, you may want to seek further advice from your cosmetic dentist. For more information, contact a dentist such as Dental Care Of Scottsburg - Randol O Woolbright Jr DDS

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