Dental implants are replacement tooth roots made of titanium placed into your jaw to provide a strong foundation for permanent or removable replacement teeth. They are made to match your natural teeth for improved appearance and restore your chewing ability. Even though they are made of titanium, implants need to be looked after like regular teeth. These are some of the ways to take care of dental implants:
- Brushing daily
Brushing takes excellent care of your implants; however, you need to avoid regular brushes. It is recommended that you use a soft nylon brush long enough to reach the back of your mouth and be pliable and gentle on your implants. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, ensuring you clean around and under your implant crown to remove all the food particles. Working on your brushing technique is also essential.
Like on your regular teeth, plaque and bacteria accumulate around the implants. The implant may not decay or get a cavity, but the gum around it is sensitive and vulnerable to infections. Therefore, you need to regularly clean your mouth to prevent them from perio-implant diseases and infections like peri-implantitis.
- Floss daily
With dental implants, floss becomes more crucial than ever, preventing plaque from accumulating around them and causing infections. It would be best to make a habit of flossing using unwaxed floss or implant-specific floss recommended by your dentist. Focus around the base of your implant to ensure you remove any debris that may have accumulated. Some healthy behaviors that will help you floss more often are:
- Set a reminder on your phone
- Stash some floss in your car or purse
- Reward yourself for flossing
- Floss while watching television
- Avoid abrasive products and hard things
Done-in-one implants may be strong and durable, but they are not indestructible. Some products and actions put them at risk of being damaged alongside the attached prosthetic. Therefore, you should avoid overly abrasive materials as they can irritate the tissue around dental implants, causing pain.
In addition, keep away from actions like nail-biting, chewing on pens, or using your teeth to open packages or hold things. If you do this, you are guaranteed to have the implants last longer.
- Avoid smoking, alcohol and sticky foods
Food is a basic need, but it can become the enemy of dental implants. Sticky foods tend to get lodged between the teeth. If not thorough in your cleaning, they may turn to plaque and cause the above infection. It is not necessarily a must you avoid them. If you believe you clean your teeth regularly and well enough, you can but take it less often.
People forget that alcohol is a toxin and is harmful to your health if excessively consumed. Even after your implants are completely healed, they are still at risk due to alcohol. Heavy consumption of alcohol can lead to an inadequate blood supply to the jaw that can trigger Avascular Necrosis (AVN), a condition in which bones begin to die. This causes the implants to get dislodged. Smoking corrodes the implants.
- Regular visits to the dentist
It would be best to have your implants checked by a certified dentist at least twice a year. No matter how well you’re taking care of them, check-ups are necessary as they may reveal some underlying conditions unknown to you. For example, the dentist may recommend more frequent visits depending on your condition and you are required to oblige. Listen to whatever they say and follow all their instructions. It’s for your good.
You can’t live without smiling or laughing and if you want a beautiful smile, you must take care of your implants. Unfortunately, that is not all there is when it comes to dental care, there are many other ways not mentioned, but these are arguably the most important.
