Care of Your New Crown and the Surrounding Tooth Structure

Posted on September 26th, 2017 | Dr. Kerry Lowery

Care of Your New Crown and the Surrounding Tooth Structure

With consistent, effective oral hygiene care your new crown and the supporting tooth structure can remain healthy for many years.
However, there are many risk factors that can lead to deterioration of the tooth structure that is at the margin (junction of tooth and crown) of your crown:

• Sugary, sticky foods
• Beverages with sugar or high acidity. Most beverages, plain herbal tea and coffee included, have acidity to cause loss of minerals from your teeth. Milk is not acidic. Tap water is best. Adding lemon to your water makes it acidic which is usually harmful to your teeth.
• Inadequate, inconsistent oral hygiene:

1. After eating or drinking, swish several times immediately with tap water. If available, swish for one minute with a fluoride rinse such as ACT Fluoride Rinse. It is recommended to wait at least 30 minutes after eating and/or drinking, to brush your teeth.

2. Abrasive toothpastes, especially tartar control and whitening, can be harsh on your enamel. However, all toothpastes and gels can remove tooth structure especially on your root surfaces. Root surfaces are half the hardness of enamel. What is recommended is to floss first, then brush with water only to remove your plaque and food. Then use a small amount of toothpaste (preferably Pronamel, Sensodyne or Arm & Hammer toothpastes are a lot less abrasive than Crest/Colgate/Aquafresh) and brush lightly.

*Dry mouth – lack of adequate saliva is one of the most significant risk factors in developing cavities. Drink plenty of tap water. The recommended amount of water to drink is half of your body weight, i.e. 140 lb person should drink 70 ounces water which is about 8 ½ glasses!

*Many medications can weaken the teeth. Inhalers for asthma are highly acidic. Many medications have the side effect of reducing your saliva. If you feel thirsty, you are probably 50% dehydrated!

*Fluoride is highly beneficial to your teeth at any age. We recommend to use a prescription remineralizing toothpaste at night which is available here. An in-office fluoride treatment is very beneficial as it loads up the fluoride reservoir within the sub layer of your teeth. An over the counter fluoride rinse (ACT, Crest Complete Care, Listerine Total Care) is also recommended for daytime use.

With effective, consistent care – your crown and surrounding tooth structure should remain healthy for a long time. We are always here to assist you with this!

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