Cleaning Fixed Bridges

As part of our commitment to preventive care, we at Dr. Suzanne Haeri’s South Carthay dental office educate our patients about maintaining their oral hygiene after receiving replacement teeth. Cleaning a fixed bridge is easy, but it requires a few changes in habit and knowledge of the dental products available.

Implant-secured bridges may have enough room between the bridge and the gum line for a proxy brush. This Christmas tree-shaped brush can be mounted on a normal-sized toothbrush handle and be used to dislodge large pieces of food. However, all bridges must be flossed along their horizontal side and the teeth they attach to must be kept clean on all sides, as well. While some floss manufacturers make specialty floss with stiffened tips to push through the bridge gap, it is normal for patients to use a threader to loop floss around a bridge. Threaders are used by patients with braces to draw floss like a needle draws thread, and the same principle applies to bridges. The devices are cheap and reusable.

Suzanne Haeri, DDS, is located at 1100 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90035. To set up an appointment, call 310-647-2200 or visit SuzanneHaeriDDS.com and fill out a request.