Oral Hygiene with Bridges

Getting a fixed bridge does wonders for a patient’s bite and smile, but it requires a few changes to their hygiene routine. Since we value preventive care so highly at Dr. Eric Meyer’s Fullerton practice, we want to ensure that our patients with bridges know about all the tools available to them.

The gap between the bridge and the gum needs to be flossed. One way to get floss under the gap and loop it back around is with a threader, which is like a soft sewing needle and a familiar tool to anyone who has worn braces. There are also specialty brands of floss which have stiffened ends for sliding under bridges

Implant-supported bridges tend to have larger spaces beneath them due to implants being narrower than tooth roots. This may allow patients to remove debris with a proxy brush, which is also known as a Christmas tree brush. Proxy brushes can be mounted on normal-sized toothbrush handles. Some manufacturers of electric toothbrushes and water picks are now making adjustable heads for their products, as well, which are designed to be used on implants and the structures they support.

Eric M. Meyer, DDS, operates at 2720 North Harbor Blvd, Fullerton, California, 92835. To schedule an appointment, call 714-879-7943 or visit FullertonDental.com and fill out a contact sheet.