What Can You Not Do After a Permanent Crown Placement?
Dental crowns are tooth restorations used to restore, rebuild, enhance and strengthen teeth. During a dental crown procedure, the dentist places temporary crowns on teeth. You will use them for about two weeks as you wait for the permanent crowns to be fabricated.
Although temporary and permanent crowns have the same functions, they require extra care. This is because temporary crowns are not as strong as permanent ones. Continue reading to learn what you should avoid after permanent crown placement.
What to Avoid After Getting Your Permanent Crowns
- Avoid excessively hard and sticky foods
Indeed you cannot avoid accidents that can harm your crowns when eating. For example, your hamburger may contain a sliver of bone that chips your tooth. However, you can avoid taking foods that can break or damage your crown. These include baguettes or hard pretzels, popcorn, nuts, hard candies, frozen candy bars, and ice cubes.
- Avoid tooth clenching and grinding
Some individuals have a habit of clenching or grinding their teeth frequently. The practice puts pressure on your dental crowns. As a result, the cap may break, chip, or wear down faster than usual. Talk to the dentist at a dental clinic near you if you clench or grind your teeth frequently. They will help you kick off the habit or provide a night guard to prevent tooth damage.
- Do not participate in sports activities without a mouthguard
Accidents are frequent when playing contact sports. In addition, you may damage your crowned teeth due to a traumatic dental injury in the field. Therefore, dentists recommend wearing a mouth guard when participating in contact sports.
- Do not neglect proper oral hygiene
Although a large part of the tooth is covered with a crown, a small portion remains near the gum line. This part of the tooth is susceptible to decay and gum disease since plaque can accumulate on it. Therefore, you should maintain proper oral hygiene by brushing and flossing.
Use fluoridated toothpaste, an interdental toothbrush, and a type of floss with a stiff tip to clean the edge of the tooth. You can use mouthwash after a week following the dental crown placement. In addition, get fluoride treatments to help prevent decay and cavities.
- Do not skip regular dental exams and cleanings
Your crowns may not need professional cleanings, but your natural tooth does. Therefore, you need to visit t dentist regularly for checkups and cleanings. The dentist will ensure your crowns remain in good condition. In addition, they will clean the visible part of your natural tooth to prevent decay and gum disease. Contact us at ESP Dental for dental crown placement and maintenance.
Can You Eat Steak With a Permanent Crown?
If you have had a damaged or painful tooth for a long time, you must have skipped eating foods like steak. So, it is customary to want to eat your favorite foods when your tooth is repaired and restored. Steak is chewy and more challenging to eat than other soft meats.
Fortunately, you can enjoy steak because permanent crowns are strong enough to withstand the bite force. When eating steak, choose the tender pieces to avoid dislodging your crown. Cut them into easily chewed pieces to reduce the pressure on your gums. You may need to wait until your gums stop being tender or swollen to avoid discomfort.
Can You Eat Normally With a Permanent Crown?
Your ethnicity and cultural habits usually influence your diet. Therefore, what you normally eat can put your crowned teeth at risk of decay, damage, or staining. In addition, a regular diet for one person may be abnormal for another. So, it is impossible to say whether you can usually eat with a permanent crown.
However, there are few diet restrictions when you get your permanent crowns. After a dental crown procedure, your mouth will remain numb for a while. So, avoid eating anything until the numbness wears off. You may accidentally bite your tongue, lips, or inner cheeks.
Stick to soft foods for the first few days after the procedure because your gums will be tender. Avoid hard, chewy, or sticky foods for the first 24 hours to avoid dislodging the crown. Also, do not chew objects that can break or chip your crowns, such as pens or ice cubes.