Caring for Your Dental Fillings
You often hear people complaining that they need to visit a dentist to repair a dental filling that has broken or fallen out. Unfortunately, most people think dental fillings last for a lifetime without realizing fillings are merely a treatment to repair permanent damage from cavities in a tooth. People can significantly increase the longevity of their dental fillings if they recognize the value of dental filling care and what it involves.
Why Do You Need Dental Fillings?
That you needed dental fillings confirms you didn’t take good care of your teeth and allowed plaque to deposit acids on your teeth that eroded your tooth enamel. Fearing that if left untreated, the permanent damage in your tooth would expand to reach your dental pulp, you rush to the dentist near you, seeking a remedy before the hole aggravates.
The dentist, after examining the extent of the decay, would have removed the pollution in your tooth to pack it with a filling material. The filling material helps reconstruct the truth to ensure its proper functionality. In addition, the dental filling helps keep bacteria away from the tooth to prevent further decay. After completing the dental filling procedure, dentist 36830 would have warned you to care for your dental health appropriately to ensure you don’t develop any further cavities.
Regular Dental Checkups in Longmont
Getting regular dental exams in Longmont is the optimal way to determine whether your dental hygiene routine is appropriate and receive advice from the dentist in Auburn, Al, on whether you must make any changes. In addition, the checkups help dentists to identify dental anomalies in your mouth like tooth decay and cavities to provide prompt treatments and keep you free from further complications.
Tooth decay, when left untreated, spreads beyond your tooth enamel to reach the center of the tooth containing the dental pulp. Fillings won’t suffice when tooth decay reaches the dental pulp. The only method to treat the tooth and eradicate the infection is to undergo root canal treatment and restore your tooth with a dental crown. If you ignore root canal therapy, you can also overlook your natural tooth because you will soon need replacements with artificial teeth because the tooth needs extraction. It is why dentists recommend getting cavities filled and cared for soon after detection.
What Filling Materials Have You Received?
Various dental filling materials are available to fill the hole in your tooth. However, dentists consider the size of the cavity, the tooth’s location, your aesthetic preferences, et cetera, before they recommend the material that best suits your needs.
You can have silver amalgam fillings for a cavity in the molars that remain hidden in the back of your mouth. You can also consider gold fillings if you can bear the expenses and schedule multiple visits with the dentist for having them. On the other hand, if you have a cavity on the front teeth, the dentist recommends composite resin fillings or porcelain fillings matched to the color of your teeth as the best options.
Metal fillings are incredibly durable and last for ten years or more, while composite resin has a lifespan of five to seven years. However, all fillings eventually need replacements at the end of their life span or before if you don’t maintain proper oral hygiene.
Dental Filling After-Care Techniques You Must Follow
Dental filling after-care is no different from the care essential to prevent cavities. Whether you have had dental fillings near you to avoid the permanent damage from aggravating or not, you must follow the care tips mentioned below to keep your teeth in excellent condition.
After getting dental fillings, Dr. Mark Summerford recommends you brush your teeth thoroughly two times a day with fluoride toothpaste and floss without exceptions. You must limit sugary and starchy foods and beverages by using healthier options instead.
You help yourself and the dental fillings by avoiding biting down on hard foods or chewing ice. You must opt for water instead of acidic drinks like juices and sodas. If you use tobacco, quit the habit and limit consumption of staining foods and beverages that discolor your teeth and the tooth-colored fillings in them. When you implement these strategies to keep your fillings intact, you will be pleased to know your dentist finds it challenging to locate cavities in your mouth.
If you require dental fillings in your teeth and the after-care instructions to prolong their life span, please schedule an appointment with Central Park Dental Care to receive the fillers and the advice on caring for them appropriately.
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