Although generally less sensitive than a natural tooth, lack of dental hygiene is the second most common cause for dental implant failures. If you want to keep your implants for life and get the best long-term results, learning how to take care of them after the procedure is equally as important as getting informed on the procedure you’re about to undergo.
Maintain Basic Dental Hygiene
Contrary to what you may believe, it’s even more important for individuals with implants to maintain a strict basic oral hygiene routine. Since the dentures attached to your implants will be made out of porcelain or other artificial materials, they cannot decay like your natural teeth however, your teeth nearby, gums and more can be affected with gum health being essential if you want to keep your implants for a long time.
1.Brush Gently & Habitually
Just as with your natural teeth, your implants should be cleaned at least twice a day, we recommend using a soft bristle toothbrush (or an electric toothbrush) as well as a low abrasive toothpaste in order to gently remove all bacteria, food particles and excess plaque that could lead to gingivitis.
2.Floss
If food mistakenly finds itself lodged between your teeth or implant after a meal, dental floss will be your best way to promptly get rid of it. Since a toothbrush cannot reach all the areas of your mouth, it’s essential you finish your teeth brushing cleaning routine by flossing or using an interdental brush at least once a day. Many dental companies manufacture brushes and other products specifically designed for the maintenance of dental implants, don’t hesitate to buy them to facilitate your daily dental hygiene at home. Favor implant specific floss or quality unwaxed floss to ensure the gaps between your teeth and implants are well cleaned. Using mouthwash could help you prevent signs of gum inflammation.
3.Use an Oral Irrigator
Make oral irrigators with a hydropump device a part of your daily oral hygiene routine. The oral irrigator is effective at removing bacteria as it can reach places your toothbrush and dental floss cannot thus helping you add an additional parrier of protection. That being said, it is important to understand that oral irrigation should be added to your regular routine and cannot replace brushing and flossing.
4.Go See your Dentist Regularly
Finally, regular professional examinations and getting rid of plaque buildup at your dentist’s office are important to ensure that the implants and surrounding tissues remain healthy. Furthermore, if anything is wrong or if you are not looking after your dental implants properly your dentist will not only be able to spot that and put you back on the right track but he or she can catch and address any concerns early ensuring they don’t get worse. Lastly, following your dentist’s advice will get you the best long-term results from this increasingly common treatment in dental clinics.
In Conclusion
Poor hygiene can lead to infections that can be complicated to treat. One of the most common complications of poor maintenance is bleeding gums, a localized inflammation of the gums around the implant, if left untreated it may spread along the implant, which will cause the bone to gradually disintegrate, weakening the implant until it is lost. Rigorous maintenance of an implant is thus the only way to considerably reduce these risks of infection.
