Dental implants are an investment, not only in your smile but in your overall quality of life. They improve your oral health, confidence, and ability to eat your favorite foods! However, you’ll quickly discover that dental implants are no different from your natural teeth. That’s what makes them so popular! When it comes to dental implant care, there are no special rules or secrets. In fact, caring for your dental implants requires no change to your daily routine. If you’ve been keeping up with your routine oral care, caring for your dental implants will be a breeze.
Brush Twice a Day
The most important step for dental implant care: make sure you’re brushing your implants at least 2x per day. You should already be brushing your teeth twice a day, so no extra steps are needed here. Our Center Valley dentists recommend a soft-bristled toothbrush with low-abrasive toothpaste. These materials will help protect the surface of your implants. We also recommend an interdental nylon brush. This small brush will help you reach the tight spaces between your teeth and eliminate bacteria or plaque.
Brush around the front, back, and sides of your teeth. Make sure you’re getting the spots under and around the crown of your dental implant. Bacteria buildup in these tight spots can impact the integrity of your implant, cause inflammation, or even cause peri-implantitis.
What is peri-implantitis? It is similar to gum disease and occurs when plaque builds up around your implant. Your gums will become swollen, red, and tender. You may notice bleeding while you brush or floss. If left untreated, your dental implants can fail, loosen, or even fall out, putting your beautiful new smile at risk.
Floss Daily
If you’ve neglected your daily flossing routine, you’re not alone. One-third of Americans don’t floss. However, flossing is more important than ever when you have dental implants. While your implants don’t get cavities, your gums can still suffer if plaque builds up around the base of your implants, causing peri-implantitis.
If you think flossing will be hard with dental implants, think again! New technology has enabled the dental community to design special floss for people with dental implants, making the practice more comfortable and easy. So if you haven’t already, it’s time to add flossing to your dental implant care routine!
Eat Carefully
One of the greatest benefits of dental implants is eating the foods you love again! Juicy steaks, sweet ice cream cones, and fresh fruits and veggies are more fun (and easy!) to eat when you have implants.
While there will be some dietary restrictions immediately following your surgery, your titanium implants are sturdy and should withstand hard or crunchy foods. However, stay away from chewing things like ice, which won’t only damage your implants but also your natural teeth. Implants are also not immune to staining from sodas, coffees, or surgery drinks. So continue to brush to keep them shiny and bright.
Affordable Dental Implants, Quality Care
Here at Center Valley Dental, we take pride in helping patients discover the difference dental implants can make in their life. Before, during, and after your treatment, our Lehigh Valley dentists will be by your side to ensure you achieve the smile of your dreams. Request an appointment today to learn more.