Bridgework Needs Daily Care and Good Oral Hygiene

Bridgework is typically used to restore the presence and function of a missing tooth. While the special dental-grade materials it’s made from will be immune to bacterial tooth decay, your new bridge will nonetheless require daily care and good oral hygiene.

If bacterial plaque and minute food particles are not removed from the bridge and surrounding teeth on a daily basis, they can harden into calculus. This bacteria-rich substance, also known as tartar, has been found to be one of the primary causes of gum disease.

The constant bacterial presence of gum disease can gradually start to cause your gum tissues to recede from the bases of your teeth. This promotes infection and inflammation in the gum tissues near the roots of the abutments that anchor your bridge in place. In time, the bacteria can also start to weaken the dental adhesive bonding the bridge. It could even cause a failure in one of the abutments.

Brushing your teeth twice each day and thoroughly flossing between teeth and along the gum line each evening will help to remove bacterial matter before it can harden into calculus. This will greatly reduce your chances of developing gum disease.

If you’re having issues cleaning around the contours of the bridge, you might want to try an interdental brush or a dental water jet.

If you’ve had a bridge installed at Dr. John J. Andre’s Louisa, Virginia, clinic and you have oral hygiene concerns, you can always call (540) 967-0777 to schedule a consultation or checkup.