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How to Floss Around Implants, Crowns, and Bridges

Knowing how to clean crowns and bridges can help your smile investment last as long as possible. Our dentist in Dumont recommends flossing around every tooth, daily, whether it’s a natural tooth supporting a bridge or a new dental implant.

Why Do I Need to Floss?

There’s an old saying that goes, “Just floss the teeth you want to keep.” Without flossing, brushing only cleans about 60% of your tooth surfaces. Flossing cleans the spaces that toothbrushing doesn’t reach. Specifically, the areas between teeth where they touch side-by-side, and just under the edges of the gums in those spaces. These areas are more prone to cavities and gum disease, because of how infrequently most people floss.

How Often to Floss

Ideally, you want to floss once a day to disrupt dental plaque. Otherwise, the plaque will start to calcify into tartar, which is impossible to remove with a toothbrush or floss.

If your gums bleed whenever you’re flossing, you’re probably not flossing as often as you need to.

The Proper Way to Floss Implants and Crowns

Flossing implants and crowns is the same as flossing around anatomical teeth. You want to wrap the strand of floss in a “C” shape and gently hug the side of the tooth, rubbing it up and down several times as well as cleaning just below the edges of your gums. Then lift the floss up and over your pointed gum tissue, moving to the next tooth and repeating the process.

How to Floss Around a Dental Bridge

Flossing around a dental bridge can be a bit tricky since there’s a place underneath your restoration that you can’t reach from the top of your tooth. In this case, you want to use a floss threader to weave the strand under your bridge, then clean against the side of each supporting tooth. Tufted “super floss” is also helpful for cleaning the space between your bridge and gum tissues.

Will Flossing Pull Off My Dental Crown (in Dumont)?

Contrary to popular belief, flossing will not pull off your crown or dental bridges. In Dumont, we actually tell our patients that it’s the lack of flossing that can cause your restorations to fail. If bacteria accumulate around the edges of your crown or bridge, it can create new cavities underneath them. How much do crowns and bridges cost? Enough that it’s best to floss them daily so that they last as long as possible!

Alternatives to Flossing

Hate flossing? You aren’t alone. Fortunately, there are helpful alternatives to flossing that can still effectively clean between teeth, below gumlines, and around dental implants. In this case, we’re talking about a water flosser.

Water flossers are handheld wands that spray a firm jet of water to flush away plaque and food debris. Depending on the model you have, you may be able to adjust the pressure. It can take a little getting used to, but water flossers can access spaces that flossing doesn’t. They’re highly recommended for managing chronic gum disease, too!

Water flossers or string floss: what are crowns and bridges best cleaned with? Either one. But a water flosser works great for hard-to-reach places and is actually preferred for our patients who have dental implants.

Unfortunately, floss aids like floss picks can’t reach under bridges. Nor do they conform well around back teeth. But for kids, they’re a great alternative to traditional string floss.

Broken or Missing Teeth? What type of dentist does crowns and bridges in their office? Palisades Dental Care does. We offer tailored restorative treatments—including dental implants—for our patients with missing, worn, or broken teeth. Your new smile will help you feel confident and enjoy the foods you love. Flossing around your teeth properly will protect your investment for years to come.

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