Are You Afraid to Go to the Dentist?

About Me

Are You Afraid to Go to the Dentist?

Welcome to my website. My name’s Linda, and I’m going to share about my phobia for dental procedures. I didn’t fear the dentist when I was a child. My parents started taking me to the dentist when I was a toddler. I visited the dentist diligently until about ten years ago. I was in my early forties when my dental work became more than fillings. I had to have two root canals, and while the procedures went smoothly, I panicked. There was something about being in the chair and having my mouth open for that long that sent me into a panic attack. Since then, I have struggled with going to the dentist. Until recently that is. I found a wonderful dentist who uses mild sedation and is extremely gentle and understanding. I’m excited to share more about this in the hope that my story will help you.

 

5 Things Not to Do When You Have a New Temporary Dental Crown

8 May 2017
 Categories: Dentist, Articles

Share

If you have recently had a temporary dental crown placed, you may wonder if there is anything you should avoid doing to keep it intact. If so, use the following list of five things not to do to keep from damaging your new temporary crown.

Chew on the Side of Your Temporary Crown

Especially the first few days after the dentist has placed your temporary crown, avoid chewing on the side of your mouth where it is located. This helps prevent damage by keeping extra pressure off of the crown and the adhesive while the cement is setting up.

Also, if the dentist also inserted metal implants to hold the crown, keeping pressure and food away from your gums allows them to heal. It also prevents food from becoming lodged under the crown, where it could become a breeding ground for bacteria.

Eat Hard, Crunchy Food

Along with chewing on the side of your mouth opposite your crown, you should also stay away from hard, crunchy foods. Eating foods like carrots or celery can dramatically increase the pressure on your crown, possibly cracking it or making it pop off the implant post.

Instead of hard foods that could damage your crown, try to stick with softer foods like soup and pudding. If you have a blender, you may also want to try to blend your own smoothies to ensure you get all the nutrition your body needs.

Floss Like Your Parents Taught You

More than likely, you were taught to floss by inserting it between your teeth, wiggling it around, and then pull the floss straight up. While this may work well for natural teeth, this could be a problem when flossing around your temporary crown. If you pull up at the base of the crown and it becomes caught on the edge, you may end up pulling the crown loose or completely off.

Instead of pulling the floss straight up after you wiggle it between your teeth, slide it out. Flossing this way minimizes the risk of dislodging or damaging the temporary crown.

Chew Bubble Gum & Other Sticky Candies

While you still have your temporary crown, avoid chewing bubble gum. If the gum gets stuck on the surface, it could pull the crown off the implant post. Caramels and other sticky, chewy candies should also be avoided.

Along with pulling on the crown, sticky pieces of the bubble gum or candy could become trapped under the crown where it may be difficult to remove. The sugary nature of any of the items could then become a food source for bacteria, potentially infecting the gum tissue around the post abutment.

Use Your Teeth as a Tool

While it should probably be avoided with your natural teeth as well, it is especially important to get out of the habit of using your teeth as a tool. Doing things like opening a soda pop bottle with your teeth can potentially chip or crack your real teeth. Since a temporary crown is not as durable as enamel, it is a very good possibility that you may severely damage the crown.

Along with not opening bottles, you may want to get out of the habit of biting your nails while you have your temporary crown. If you use the tooth where the crown is located to chew off a nail, the pressure caused from doing so could crack the crown.

Avoiding the above items should help you avoid damaging your temporary crown while you wait for placement of your permanent one. However, if the crown falls off or becomes damaged, you should call your dentist as soon as possible so they can advise you on what needs to be done.