Tips on Caring for Your Dental Implants

16 June 2021
Categories: Dentist, Blog

Dental implants are an excellent solution if you want to replace missing teeth because they can help restore your smile and confidence. However, just like your natural teeth, implants need to be carefully maintained. Here are a few tips on caring for your dental implants.

Use the Right Brush and Toothpaste

When you get dental implants, you should switch toothbrushes. Experts recommend nylon toothbrushes because they have bristles that are gentle on the implants. Alternatively, you can use a Proxabrush to clean difficult-to-access areas around the implants.

Avoid toothbrushes with hard bristles because they can scratch the surface of your implants. Additionally, you should not use any metal instrument for cleaning the mouth. Make sure you brush at least twice a day.

You should also be careful not to use toothpaste that is too abrasive. While abrasive toothpaste can help remove stains and clean your teeth, too much abrasion will damage the crown over time. As a rule of thumb, avoid whitening toothpaste and consult your dentist on the appropriate toothpaste for your implants.

Be Keen on Flossing

Your dentist might recommend you use a water or crown and bridge flosser. A water flosser removes bacteria in the deep pockets of your teeth. These flossers may come with rubber tips for sensitive gums. Water flossers can reach pockets that go up to 6mm deep.

Crown and bridge floss can also be used to clean under the implants. This floss has stiff nylon ends and gently cleans the surface of the dental implants. These stiff ends also allow you to fit the floss in between the implants.

You should use this floss after brushing because of the toothpaste residue in the mouth. This also helps you spread the fluoride from the toothpaste residue around the implant and prevents bacterial growth.

Avoid Alcohol and Tobacco

Smoking tobacco is not only harmful to your physical health, but it also affects your oral health. The chemicals in tobacco have an adverse effect on your implants. This is because they reduce the amount of blood passing through your bones, gums, and teeth.

Additionally, alcohol slows down the healing process. Alcohol interrupts the healing signals, especially those responsible for the formation of blood vessels. Remember, the new bone in your gums needs blood vessels to supply it with nutrients. The time when implants are most vulnerable to alcohol is during the first 72 hours after treatment. As little as one drink during the 72 hours after healing can cause AVN. Avascular necrosis is a condition that causes your bone to die.

For more information regarding dental implants, contact a local dentist near you.

About Me

When I was a child and teenager, I always left the dentist's office with the great feeling of having no cavities. When I went away to college out-of-state, I had to switch to a new dentist in my area. It seemed like I was suddenly getting cavities and started wonder what my new dentist "was doing wrong". When I spoke to my mother about it, she reminded me that the reason I never had cavities when I was living it home was because she always made sure my siblings and I brushed and flossed daily and didn't eat too much sugar. I then realized that my late-night study sessions drinking sugary soda and my suddenly bad brushing habits were the true causes of my cavities. I have since learned a lot more about dental health I am eager to share with anyone who needs the advice!