Hi there. Dr. Ashish Patel here. Congratulations on getting your new
smile today. I want to share some important tips on how to take care
of your temporary restorations so they stay in great shape until
your permanent ones are ready. While your temporaries may look as
good as some people's permanent restorations, they're made of
plastic and require special care.
First, let's talk about the items in your take-home bag and how to
use them. In your bag you should have a bottle of hydrogen peroxide,
some syringes, and some syringe tips. To get started with the
peroxide, which you'll do six times a day, draw some up without the
tip on it, put the tip on, and go around the margins of each tooth,
front and back. As you push down to get the peroxide to flow around
the margins, the peroxide bubbles and keeps bacteria from forming
along the temporaries. Do this six times a day.
Once you're done with the peroxide, take some of your Bridge-Aids,
which come in an envelope. You'll get about 12 inches of Glide floss
from the bag and thread it through the Bridge-Aid like you would a
needle for sewing. Get the floss through and pull it about halfway.
Then take the Bridge-Aid. For the top, angle it down. For the bottom,
angle it up. Start from the top and pull all the way through. Because
your temporaries are tied together, you can't come back up through
the contact. Just pull it all the way out the other side. That's how
you floss that area.
Floss after every meal if you can, and brush after every meal. The
bare minimum on flossing is twice a day. Before you floss, take some
of the viscous lidocaine you were prescribed. Put a little in a cup
and swish for about 30 seconds. It numbs the gums. You only need to
do that for the first few days while the gums heal. After that you
shouldn't have to.
Use the soft toothbrush included in your bag for brushing after every
meal. That's the routine for the next four to six weeks. You also
received a custom night guard. It's really important to wear it
every night.
A few more things while you're in temporaries. Eat soft foods you
can manage with a fork or a spoon. If you can't cut it with a fork,
it's off limits for now. Avoid drinks and foods that stain: red
wine, coffee, ketchup, mustard, certain juices. If it can stain a
white shirt, it can stain your temporaries. Brush and floss after
every meal to keep the gums as healthy as possible. And no biting
nails, no chewing pen tops, no using your teeth to open anything.
If your temporaries come off, don't panic. It's uncommon, but if it
happens, call our office immediately at the number in your take-home
bag. We're here to help you every step of the way to make sure your
smile is perfect. Thanks for trusting Dentistry at East Piedmont
with your dental care. If you have any questions, please don't
hesitate to reach out.
