Dental Implant Care Tips to Help Your Implants Last
Learn key dental implant care tips, including daily brushing, flossing, limiting sugary foods, and regular dentist checkups to keep implants lasting.
Keeping your teeth strong and healthy is essential, and that includes people with dental implants. You need to care for your implants properly by keeping your mouth and teeth clean. Given how much money and time you invest in getting an implant, proper care is critical if you want it to last.
No material can fully replace a natural human tooth, but in some cases a dental implant is the best option. That makes caring for an implant just as important as maintaining the health of your natural teeth and gums. Treat implants the same way you treat your natural teeth: brush them regularly every day and floss. This helps protect your mouth and gums from pathogenic bacteria that can cause disease and gum infections.
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Proper Dental Implant Care
Caring for an implant consistently and correctly may take some practice before it becomes a habit. The care an implant needs differs somewhat from the care you give natural teeth. Make sure both the lower and upper surfaces of the implant stay clean. You may need a small rubber brush and dental floss.
If you have just received a dental implant, discuss the care routine with your dentist first. You need to understand exactly how to care for your implant. Here are some tips for proper implant care:
- Avoid baking soda, fluoride, toothpaste, and special stain removers if you are a smoker.
- Use low-abrasive toothpaste to protect the implant from scratches.
- Consider buying a water flosser to help keep your implant in good condition.
You also need to be careful with certain products, especially if you want to avoid damaging the implant's protective layer. That layer can corrode, and repairing or replacing it can be expensive.
Patients with dental implants should also have regular checkups to see how the implant affects the health of their mouth and teeth. Your dentist should also examine the implant. Implants should ideally be inspected every three years, but because you still have natural teeth that need checking, it is better to have your implant checked every six months.
When caring for dental implants, avoid foods high in sugar. High-sugar foods can lead to a buildup of plaque, which can affect your gum health.
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