The Dos and Don’ts of Eating After Permanent Crown

Namaste UI (Author)
Foods to Avoid With Permanent Crown
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Just because your tooth is damaged doesn’t mean that you have to say goodbye to a healthy, beautiful smile. There is a solution, fortunately — you can restore damaged teeth with a tooth crown, as well as fix some other problems. Most often, it is used to restore a broken tooth or hold a cracked one together. However, it can also help with other issues such as discoloration or protection of a tooth weakened by decay.

Dental crowns are custom-made to look like your teeth so no one could tell the difference. What’s more, they are made of heavy-duty porcelain, which means that they can last a very long time. That is, of course, if you do your part and take proper care of both your teeth and your permanent crown. Keep reading to find some tips for taking care of your crown, as well as which foods to avoid with a permanent crown so that you get the most out of it. If you are planning to get it done, you can get your crown fitted by the dentist in sherman.

Permanent Crown Maintenance

Before we get to the foods to avoid with a permanent crown, there are several things you should do if you want your crown to serve you well and for a long time:

  • It may seem obvious, but brushing your teeth at least twice a day is the first step toward healthy teeth.
  • Don’t forget about the flossing! It’s as important as brushing, and your teeth will be grateful for the extra step.
  • Don’t bite your fingernails — it could damage the tooth surface and weaken the crown.
  • Never use your teeth as tools! A permanent crown is hard enough for eating, but it was definitely not made for opening bottles or ripping off tags.

Foods to Avoid With Permanent Crown

Once you get a permanent crown, there are some foods you will want to avoid eating until a crown settles with your natural tooth. But don’t worry, that doesn’t mean you can never eat these foods again. You will just need to be more careful with them so as to not break off your crown. It’s not easy to figure out what you can and cannot eat after a dental crown, so here’s our list of foods to avoid with a permanent crown.

Nuts

Nuts are high in protein which makes them a perfect snack, but you should avoid them after you get a permanent crown. They are hard and crunchy, which means they could easily cause a crack in your dental crown. And even after some time has passed after your crown, you should always be wary of nuts and make sure to bite and chew carefully.

Crunchy Vegetables

Just like nuts, crunchy vegetables are a type of food that you should eat in general, but avoid after getting a dental crown. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t eat vegetables at all during this time. Just make sure that you cook the vegetables thoroughly so as to avoid any damage until the permanent crown settles with your tooth.

Popcorn

While we’re on the subject of snacks, you should also stay away from popcorn when you get a permanent crown. Popcorn can easily get stuck between and under your teeth, which could damage a new crown. Not to mention that you can run into those especially hard pieces and break off half the crown accidentally. For these reasons, choose a different snack for watching movies until you’re sure your crown is safe and sound.

Sticky Foods

You should steer clear of foods that can stick to your teeth when you get a permanent crown because they can cause cavities, which in turn leads to tooth decay. And since a new crown is even more sensitive than your teeth, these foods could be really dangerous. Sticky foods you should especially avoid are sweets like caramel and candy. These foods are also high in sugar content, which means you should avoid them at all times, regardless of whether you have a crown or not.

Cold Foods

After a crown procedure, your teeth could be more sensitive to extreme temperatures and you might feel pain when eating cold foods. For this reason, you should not eat foods that are too cold, such as ice-cream and cold drinks. Also, if you like to chew ice, you might want to put that habit on hold for some time. You might experience pain from the cold temperature, but it’s also too hard for a new permanent crown and could cause it to chip.

Hot Foods

As mentioned, extreme temperatures could cause you pain in the period following a crown procedure. If your gums have receded and exposed the root above your crown, you may be especially sensitive to hot foods. Aside from avoiding hot foods for some time, you can also ask your dentist for a toothpaste for sensitive teeth to help with the pain.

Steak

If not cooked properly, steak can be sticky and hard to chew, which means that it could potentially pull off your dental crown. While your permanent crown is still fresh, it would be best to stick to softer meats like chicken and fish.

How Long After a Crown Can You Eat?

Your dentist will always give you all the information depending on your specific case. But in general, you only have to wait 30 to 45 minutes before eating. Still, that does not mean you can eat anything right away. Your gums and teeth may be tender around the area where your crown is, so you need to be careful for the first few weeks.

Conclusion

Over time, you will get so used to your permanent crown you will barely remember it’s there. But in order for it to settle in with your natural teeth, you need to take good care of it. Eating with a permanent crown will become easier as time goes on and you will learn what works for you. Just to be safe, follow our list of foods to avoid with a permanent crown and make sure to visit your dentist at least twice a year and your teeth will be bright and healthy! If you don’t have a dentist yet, you can search for a phrase like “dentist near me Kissimmee” on the internet and it should provide you with a list of experts that you can reach out to.