Stinky Mouth? #Prosthodontists Answer 7 FAQs Bad Smell??Floss, Crowns, Veneers, Bridges?

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By @CarolynBarthPR 

 1. Does decay under a crown cause bad breath?

Bad breath is usually caused by your tongue or stomach most of the time. Dental decay underneath the crown can result in bad breath too. That is, unless you have rampant gum disease…flossing won’t help then. Find your local Prosthodontist at GoToAPro.org and make an appointment to examine your crown.

  2. Why does dental floss smell bad after flossing?

There are bacteria and broken down food products that bacterium has worked on between your teeth, so afterwards the floss may smell. Remedy: Floss more often.

 3. Why is there a bad taste under my crown?

Decay is probably taking place under the crown. Worse, since that area is not accessible to a brush or floss, your crown needs to be removed and the decay cleaned out. Find your local Prosthodontist at GoToAPro.org and make an appointment.

 4. Help! My crown fell off and smells bad. What can I do next?

See your Prosthodontist to have the crown cleaned and re-cemented right away. Visit www.gotoapro.org

 5. Why do I have to floss crowns?

Flossing serves two purposes: 1) it "cleans" or disrupts the bacterial flora (the cause of the stinky smell) at the contact area, so if you have a crown next to an adjacent natural tooth, it helps in the prevention of decay as it would for two natural teeth. 2) it also cleans the margin of the crown, which may be at or below the gum tissue where a tooth brush cannot reach.

 6. How do I take care of veneers? 

Veneers are taken care of the same as crowns or natural teeth. Since the interface of the natural tooth and veneer can be at the contact area between the teeth, this is a prime area for decay and must be flossed

  7. Do you need to floss bridges? 

Yes. A bridge needs to be flossed for the same reason that crowns need to be flossed, and then the additional area that is under the "false tooth" – called the Pontic. If there is any food debris lodged in that area, it will irritate the ridge and become painful and swollen. It is critical that this be kept clean as it could jeopardize the overall health of the surrounding soft tissue leading to ulcers, bleeding and sometimes infection.

Visit www.GoToAPro.org to find your local Prosthodontist to ask more questions! 

What’s a Prosthodontist? Prosthodontists are specialized dentists with 3-4 years of advanced training beyond dental school in oral health issues such as using digital technology to replace, restore, and renew teeth that are missing, chipped, broken, stained, or severely worn. Find Prosthodontists @ www.GoToAPro.org. 

Sources: Board Certified Prosthodontists Frank J. Tuminelli, DMD, FACP; Avinash S. Bidra, DDS, MS, FACP; Don A. Curtis, DMD, FACP; the American College of Prosthodontists’ (ACP) Clinical Practice Guidelines for Dental Restorations. Bidra AS, Daubert DM, Garcia LT, et al. ACP Clinical Practice Guidelines: Recall and Maintenance of Patients with Tooth-Borne and Implant-Borne Dental Restorations. J Prosthodont 2016; 25:S2-S40