Three Tips For Preventing Damage To A Tooth After Getting A Crown Lengthening

Crown lengthening is a procedure in which a part of your gum line surrounding a particular tooth is removed. This can be done both to prevent plaque buildup in the space between your tooth and gums from getting too serious and as a prerequisite for further surgery. But regardless of the reason why you got your crown lengthened, it's important to follow these three tips in order to prevent damage to your tooth and gums after the procedure.

Don't Let Any Cold Or Other Minor Malady Go Untreated

Especially in the first few months after the procedure, the newly exposed gum line hugging your teeth will be particularly exposed to bacterial infection. This is because the more you dig into a gum line, the more excess space there generally is for plaque, the main thing bacteria feeds on, to live.

Even a minor cold or other malady will weaken your immune system and render you less able to combat an emergent tooth infection. So don't let any mild fever or coughing spell go without taking at least over the counter medication.

2. Take Care Not To Brush Too Roughly Near The Newly Exposed Area

Since the newly exposed part of the tooth won't have nearly as much plaque and tartar buildup on it as the rest of your mouth, there's no need to brush it very hard. In fact, brushing clean enamel too hard can have a corrosive effect and actually decrease the ability of the tooth to resist tartar buildup.

This extra care should be doubly applied to the new gum line around your tooth, especially if you have a history of bloody and irritated gums. While you shouldn't completely ignore the gums around your lengthened tooth while brushing your teeth, it's important that you use the pain you feel while brushing as a guide to ensure that you don't brush harder than is necessary.

3. Rinse Your Mouth Out After A Meal

The little effort involved in rinsing your mouth out after a meal will go a long way to reducing the rate of plaque buildup both on the lengthened tooth and your mouth as a whole. After all, if you only brush your teeth two or three times a day, that still leaves plenty of time in which food from a small meal or snack can fester in your mouth.

Don't take the health of your newly lengthened tooth or newly exposed gum line lightly. A few easy preventative measures now could save you a lot of pain and dentist visits in the future. For questions, consult your periodontist.