Dr. Kristin Rushing, DDS

Yes and it’s essential to clean and maintain the area under a bridge to prevent cavities and gum disease. A dental bridge is used to replace a missing tooth. The two teeth on either side of the space are used as supports, and the bridge, usually 3 teeth (2 supports and one replacement) are cemented into place. The three teeth are all connected making traditional flossing difficult. You should still be able to floss normally in front of and behind the bridge. In the area of the replacement tooth you will need to use a floss threader. A threader is a slender flexible piece of plastic that helps you pass the floss under the false tooth, then you may floss under the bridge. Take care to clean under the false tooth as well as where it connects to your natural teeth. If you are unsure if you are doing it correctly, then ask your dentist or hygenist to demonstrate.

Aside from using floss threaders with traditional floss, there are products like Superfloss that have the threader already connected to a piece of floss. Some people also prefer using a water flosser, common brands are Hydrofloss and WaterPik.

One of the main reason smoking is discouraged after oral surgery is that it increases the chance of a dry socket. When a tooth is removed a blood clot forms in the empty socket. Not only does the clot help stop bleeding but it also helps “insulate” or cover the exposed bone of the socket. The inhalation during smoking creates pressure and creates a vacuum that can disrupt the clot. The bone underneath that is no longer protected then begins to hurt, this is referred to as a dry socket. This can happen from smoking as well as drinking through a straw, and even vigorously swishing, basically anything that can disrupt the clot or interrupt the healing if process. We all know smoking is bad for us, but after oral surgery it can cause even more problems!