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Dental implants are a great way to replace missing teeth. They are a much more stable, permanent, and comfortable option than dentures, and they make your smile look beautiful and natural. However, even though these are dental prosthetics, you need to take care of them almost as if they are real teeth. Check out these tips.
Brush Dental Implants Regularly
Ideally, you should brush your dental implants after meals, and if that’s not possible, you should brush them at least twice a day (once in the morning and once before bed). Although your implants cannot get cavities, any remaining teeth in your mouth can get cavities and your gums can develop issues. If you don’t brush your implants, bacteria can build up on them and spread to the other areas of your mouth.
Floss Between Implants
Bacteria and biofilms can also build up between the implants. This debris can lead to issues such as gingivitis and gum disease. Gum disease can start to erode the bone around the gum line. As that bone is holding your dental implants in place, you want to take care of it to ensure that your implants stay firm and stable.
Wrap the floss around your implant and move it back and forth. If you can’t get floss into that area, you may want to try nylon interdental brushes. Don’t use metal — that can scratch the surface of the implants. Interdental brushes can help you get into hard to reach areas.
Try a Waterpik
To get your dental implants as clean as possible, you may want to complement your brushing and flossing routine by trying a water pick. Also called an oral irrigator or water flosser, these tools squirt water between your teeth. That helps to remove plaque, clean your mouth, and reduce inflammation of the gum tissue. Talk with your oral surgeon about which type of water flosser is best for your situation.
Visit the Dentist Regularly
Some people think that if they get dental prosthetics such as dentures or full mouth implants that they no longer have to see the dentist regularly. On face value, this is a reasonable assumption. After all, prosthetic teeth can’t get cavities, but as indicated above, you still need to take care of your mouth.
Even though you have dental implants, you still need to visit the dentist regularly. They can examine your mouth and make sure the implants are okay. Beyond that, dentists also look for early signs of mouth cancer, and of course, they keep tabs on the health of your gums. They can also give you advice on taking care of implants and ensuring they stand the test of time.
When they need dental implants Atlanta residents turn to the board certified oral surgeons at Greater Atlanta Oral Facial Surgery. We offer safe sedation so you can be as comfortable as possible through the procedures, and we also have state of the art sterilization and onsite microbiology testing to ensure optimal safety. To set up an appointment or to ask questions, contact us today.