Dental

How to Care for Your Dental Implants

Health

Dental implants can help you feel better about your smile. Since they’re used to replace missing teeth, they’re made to look natural. This can increase a patient’s confidence, improve their oral health, and eliminate any discomfort caused by missing teeth. 

If you want the best affordable dental implants money can buy, then you need to make sure you take care of your investment. You can call and talk to your dentist about your dental implants and you can check out these quick and easy tips for keeping your dental implants in good shape. 

Use a softer toothbrush

While dental implants look and feel like real teeth, they’re not always as durable. An electric toothbrush or a brush with stiff bristles can actually damage the appearance of them. That’s why it’s important to change your toothbrush. 

You’ll want a toothbrush that’s soft, pliable, and gentle on your teeth and gums. This will avoid damage to your teeth. Also avoid using any kind of metal to clean your teeth. If you need suggestions, talk to your dentist. They’ll be able to provide you a toothbrush that will still clean your teeth well and won’t cause your dental implant any damage. 

Don’t forget to brush your teeth at least twice a day or after meals when you get your new toothbrush. That way, you can ensure that you’re keeping your gums and teeth looking and feeling their best!

Always remember to floss

Dental

I know, I know. Every dentist or oral hygienist tells you to floss daily. But it’s especially true for those who have dental implants. Plaque tends to build up around your implant more easily than your other teeth. 

Increased plaque in your teeth can cause gum disease, which can be damaging to your existing teeth. There are plenty of different kinds of floss that are specific to dental implants too so you can be sure you’ll find one that won’t damage your teeth. Floss at least once a day, but it would be best if you do it twice a day. This will stop the plaque from building up in your mouth. 

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Keep up with your regular dental visit

Keeping up with your twice-yearly dental appointments, you’re making sure that the dental implants you received stay in their best condition. A dentist can continuously assess your mouth for things like dental disease, tooth decay, and implant problems. By regularly going to your teeth cleaning, you’ll be ensuring that your oral health remains in tip-top shape!

If you’re looking for more reasons to go to your twice, yearly dental exams. Click here

Use sensitive products

Dental

As I mentioned in the toothbrush section, while implants may look like regular teeth, they’re not. They can be easily scratched or damaged by outside instruments. Using abrasive products, such as products that are acidic or strong in flavor, can cause a lot of discomfort to your mouth and gums. 

As a general rule, you should use products that are gentle on your teeth and gums and that won’t cause a lot of pain or stinging in your mouth. Talk to your doctor about oral hygiene products that will be gentle to use with your implant. 

Know what to avoid

Since implants are easily scratched or damaged, there are several foods you should avoid. You shouldn’t consume anything hard or sticky while you have an implant. These can be things like hard candy, caramel, gum, chips, pretzels, apples, and hard meats. The same can be said for things like ice. While it’s okay to have a glass of ice water, try not to chew on any ice cubes.

By avoiding these foods, you’re protecting your implant from future damage. Dentists also recommend avoiding alcohol and smoking after you get your implants. Since it takes a long time for your implant to heal, smoking and drinking can slow the process down. 

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The Dangers of neglect

Without proper care, a dental implant can cause a lot of problems for your oral health. Dental implants can bleed and bone loss can occur in implants that aren’t being cared for properly. If you’ve recently received implants, not taking care of your teeth can cause infection and slow healing post-procedure. 

You also carry the risk of developing gum disease, tooth decay, and other oral health problems and abnormalities. These can all be avoided by daily brushing and flossing with products that are nonabrasive. 

For more information on why you shouldn’t neglect your oral hygiene, follow the link. You may just think twice about going to bed without brushing. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/jul/19/why-neglecting-teeth-seriously-bad-health 

Warning signs and when to call your dentist

While you will feel some pain after your initial surgery, dental implants should not cause you pain after they healed. If it’s been months since your procedure and you’re still feeling pain or discomfort, then it’s a good idea to call and talk to your dentist. There may be something wrong with the implant that needs to be fixed. 

Another sign to look for is bleeding. While it’s normal for your implants to bleed in the first day or two, they shouldn’t keep bleeding after the initial 24 hours or so. If they keep bleeding after the procedure or suddenly start bleeding randomly one day, you should definitely call and talk to your dentist. 

Swelling is another common problem with implants. This should all happen immediately following the procedure. If it suddenly becomes swollen one day or the swelling hasn’t gone down at all after a week or so, talk to your dentist. They may want to check to make sure you don’t have an infection by scheduling an exam. 

Dental implants are a great way to improve your smile and confidence. If you want to keep your new smile looking as perfect as it does now, then make sure you follow the steps of this article. By practicing good oral hygiene and tweaking your routine slightly, you’ll be able to keep your implants looking brand new for years to come.