Parental dental tips

Usually when you get a crown from a cosmetic dentist, the crown has to be made by a lab. As a result, the dentist will put a temporary crown on you. Here are some tips to help you take care of your temporary crown.

1. Be Careful Until the Local Anesthesia Wears Off

Before putting on the temporary crown, the dentist will remove all the decay in the area and shave down your existing tooth. That process requires local anesthesia. After the procedure, your mouth may still be numb. You may want to be careful about eating until the anesthesia wears off. Otherwise, you risk biting your lips, gum, or tongue.

2. Stay Away From Sticky Foods

In most cases, the plaster used to make the temporary crown will need to set. To avoid disrupting the material as it sets, stay away from sticky foods such as taffy, chewing game, and very chewy meats. Even after the crown has set, taffy can threaten to rip off the crown, so you may want to avoid that one in particular until you get your permanent crown.

3. Rinse As Needed

If you have any sensitivity around the temporary crown, try rinsing with salt water. Just mix some room temperature tap water with some salt. Then, swish and gargle. The swishing helps get the salt and water around the gum beneath the temporary crown, and that helps clean the areas between the temporary and your other teeth. This can be especially helpful if you aren't comfortable brushing and flossing right away.

4. Move Floss Along the Gum Line

When you are finally ready to floss, make sure that you pull the floss out along the gum line. When the floss is between your teeth, drop one end of the floss to make that possible, and gently pull on the other end. When some people floss, they yank the floss out from between their teeth, and it moves upward. This motion can dislodge a temporary crown so you may want to avoid it until your get your permanent crown.

5. Use Denture Cream to Replace Your Crown

If your temporary crown does fall out, you should call your dentist immediately. If you can't get an appointment right away, do a salt water rinse to clean the area. Then, use a bit of denture cream to adhere your temporary crown to your remaining tooth.

Talk with your cosmetic dentist about other tips for taking care of a temporary crown.