If you've just received a new dental bridge to fix your missing tooth, you may be looking for ways to make it last as long as possible. Here are a few tips to help protect your dental bridge.

Floss and Brush Regularly

You may be well aware that your new dental bridge won't decay as if it were a real tooth. The artificial tooth and the crowns used to secure it in place will physically be able to withstand bacteria and sugars that collect on the surface. However, that doesn't mean the teeth used to anchor the bridge are impervious to damage. It is still possible for small food particles to become lodged between your artificial tooth and your real teeth, which can cause the real teeth to decay.

That is why it is so important to floss and brush your teeth regularly to keep dental bridges protected. If the surrounding teeth suffer from tooth decay, it can cause the crown to become dislodged and cause the bridge to fail. You can also suffer from gum inflammation, which is not good for the health of those anchoring teeth. A bridge must be removed if any dental work has to be done to those surrounding teeth that are healthy.

Use Antibacterial Mouthwash

Mouthwash is not just used to give you fresh-smelling breath: it's also great at preventing oral infections by killing off bacteria. Gum disease is a common cause of tooth and bone loss, which can affect those teeth holding the bridge in place. Make sure to incorporate rinsing with mouthwash into your oral health routine every single day to keep all your teeth healthy.

Use a Mouthguard

If you have a history of grinding your teeth overnight, it is a good idea to wear a mouthguard while you sleep. The purpose will be to protect your natural teeth and the bridge, since teeth grinding can put enough pressure on a bridge to cause it to fail over time. If not failure, then the metal material in the crowns can become exposed, which will make the bridge unattractive.

Watch What You Eat

It always helps to watch what you eat any time you have dental work that can become damaged. For example, be careful when eating popcorn that can have unpopped kernels in it, or eating meat that can have a hidden bone. Too much pressure on a hard object can damage the bridge.