Good Dental Hygiene is Even More Important When You Have a Retainer or Bridge
We preach about flossing and good dental hygiene a lot at Downtown Dental Associates of Portland, but we know it’s not the highlight of your day. We do it because we also know what a big difference it makes in the dental exam chair and in your overall health.
For those of you with retainers and bridges, these habits are even more important — and more difficult to maintain, for obvious reasons. Bits of food can get caught more easily on these appliances and lead to overgrowth of bacteria and a general decline in dental health and, as we’ve said in earlier blogs, overall health.
But proper care of your teeth when you wear a retainer or bridge doesn’t have to be difficult. It just takes a bit of practice and some inexpensive tools to help you get the job done.
We recommend any of a variety of floss threaders that make getting into the spaces between teeth much easier. These devices work like a needle and thread but are not sharp. You simply pull off about 18 inches of floss, attached it to the threader and go to work between teeth.
Another option that is easier for travel is the precut lengths of floss that are plastic coated at one end to make them stiffer and much easier to pass between teeth. This option skips the need to thread your floss, but limits you on the length of each piece.
So, depending in whether you are on the road or have a personal preference, we recommend you choose the option that you are more likely to use.
At Downtown Dental Associates of Portland, we are dedicated to meeting your dental health needs. We seek to exceed your expectations as a partner is your dental and overall health and ensure that you and your loved ones receive the finest care possible.
Contact us today if you have questions about dental health or if you’d like to schedule an appointment. You can also make an appointment online here.