A dental crown in Covington, Georgia, is a nearly perfect replica of the enamel layer of a tooth. If residual food particles and plaque are not cleaned away from the crown, they will harden into tartar, which promotes gum disease and tooth decay.
The advanced form of gum disease, known as periodontitis, can cause your gums to recede from the base of your teeth, creating small pockets of infection in your gums. Constant bacterial exposure to this area can give the bacteria direct access to the seam where your crown is cemented to the abutment. This could potentially start to weaken the cement holding the crown to the abutment.
In time, periodontitis can even cause the loss of bone structure in your jaw. This could cause the core of the tooth to come loose or it could result in the abutment breaking off inside the gumline.
To prevent these complications, Dr. Sterling Whitworth advocates brushing and flossing the crown twice a day, just as you would the rest of your natural teeth. If you do have some tartar build up on your teeth or if you develop gum disease, the problem can often be treated by a dental cleaning and checkup with your dentist.
If you have questions or concerns about the best way to clean and maintain your new crown, you can always call Covington Dental Partners at 770-786-9339 to ask additional questions.
