Ways of Keeping a Dental Crown from Coming Loose or Breaking
Posted on 8/23/2021 by Alexandra Garcia DDS MS |
 A dental crown is a durable, long-lasting way to restore a missing tooth. However, like your natural teeth, crowns are not indestructible. Crowns can sometimes chip, break, or come loose as a result of an injury or from certain habits. Here are some tips for caring for your dental crown and preventing it from breaking or loosening.
Avoid Sticky and Crunchy Foods
Very sticky foods such as caramel, taffy, dried fruits, and chewing gum can stick to your crown and cause it to pull away from your tooth. Plus, most of these items are high in sugar, so they could cause cavities and tooth decay if they get stuck on your crown or between your teeth.
Crunchy foods are also harmful if you have a dental crown. Nuts, seeds, and popcorn can easily become lodged at the edge of a crown, causing it to loosen. Plus, these foods can also chip or crack dental crowns, and hard shells are sometimes sharp enough to irritate your gums. Even people without any crowns can damage their teeth with these hard, crunchy foods.
Do Not Grind Your Teeth or Chew Hard Objects
Many people grind their teeth without even realizing it, but this habit is very harmful to both natural teeth and restorative work like crowns, veneers, and bridges. The force of teeth grinding can scratch, loosen, and even break your dental crown. If you experience chronic jaw pain, headaches, or difficulty getting a good night's sleep, you may be grinding your teeth at night. We can fit you for a custom mouthguard that will protect your crown and the rest of your teeth from this habit. Additionally, habits such as chewing on ice, using your teeth as tools, biting your fingernails, or chewing on other hard objects like pencils can also damage your crown and cause it to loosen or break.
What to Do If Your Crown is Loose
If your dental crown starts to feel loose or falls out completely, you should contact us right away. Do not try to put it back in yourself without asking us first, especially if it fell out while you were eating, as food debris and bacteria may have entered the area. Rinse your mouth with warm salt water and keep the crown in a safe place until we can see you. Call our office today if your crown loosened, broke, or fell out.
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