If you have a dental crown, you might be wondering if there is anything that you should do to take care of it. Basic maintenance should be pretty easy with your dental crown, but this doesn't mean that it should be ignored. These are three tips that can help you keep your dental crown in good shape.

1. Avoid Certain Foods

First of all, it's best to avoid certain foods if you would like to avoid damaging your crown. Sticky foods like taffy, caramel or chewing gum can grab and pull at your dental crown, which can reduce its lifespan and can cause it to come out of place if you aren't careful. Additionally, you'll want to be careful about biting down on hard candy, ice or other similar objects, which can cause your dental crown to crack or break in some cases.

2. Be Careful When Flossing

Taking good care of the area around your dental crown is important if you want it to last and if you want to maintain good overall oral health and hygiene, and this includes flossing. However, you shouldn't "pull" the floss out from between your crown and your tooth. This could put unnecessary pressure on your crown and could even cause it to come out of place. Instead, you'll want to gently slide the floss out. Another option is to use a water flosser; then, you can easily clean around your crown without worrying about accidentally forcing it out of place.

3. See Your Dentist Regularly

Regular dental appointments are always important, and they are particularly important when you have a dental crown. At your dental appointments, your dentist can check to make sure that your crown is still in good condition. If not, your dentist might have to re-set your crown or replace it. You'll probably find it better to find this out at your dentist's office than to suddenly lose your crown when you least expect it. Your dentist can also answer any questions that you have about dental crown care at your next dental appointment.

Dental crowns are designed to last for a long time, but if you don't take good care of them, they might not last as long as they would otherwise. Luckily, though, taking care of a dental crown is pretty easy. Follow these tips to keep yours in good shape, and talk to your dental services professional if you have any other questions.