Losing teeth robs one the freedom to smile and interact with people confidently. The good news is, dental implants provide a great way to restore your smile. They are natural and function like the real teeth. However, their usefulness remains as long as they are well maintained, and proper oral hygiene habits are observed. So, how do you take care of your dental implants and what are the risks if you neglect them?
Dental Implant Maintenance Tips
To ensure the dental implants remain in good condition and serve you for a long time, you should observe the following maintenance tips;
Regular Brushing
Getting into habit of brushing your dental implants is the first step to taking care of them. You should do this after every meal to avoid getting food remains getting trapped between the implants or gums, leading to bacteria development. Special care should be given to the sides of the implants if you want to be more successful. You don’t need to use toothpaste in maintaining dental implant hygiene, but you can use water and a toothbrush and still get them clean. However, when it comes to the toothbrush, you need to be careful. The bristles of the toothbrush you use should be soft to avoid scratching your gums or implants. Besides brushing your implants, consider flossing them to get them super clean. You should, therefore, buy a dental floss to help you clean around the gums, teeth, and abutments properly. Flossing should be followed by rinsing your mouth with an antibacterial mouthwash. Mouthwash not only moistens your mouth but also removes food particles that may cause infections.
Choose food carefully
The food you consume also play a role in hygiene and maintenance of your dental implants. In this regard, you should avoid foods that may leave too much traces of sugar or starch because they cause development of bacteria which can attack your gum and teeth. These reduce the lifespan of dental implants. To be on the safe side, avoid consuming sweets and too much of foods that are acidic, softer, and sticky. You should also avoid smoking and drinking alcohol because they delay the process of healing of the implants, cause teeth sensitivity, and weakens the structure of the bones bearing in mind they comprise a large part of your teeth. Hot or icy drinks should also be avoided shortly after dental implant surgery. The healing process of your dental implants is primarily determined by the overall health of your body. Therefore, ensure you are well-hydrated and eat a balanced diet with more fruits and vegetables. This will keep your gums healthy and preserve the integrity of your implants for many years.
Avoid Overloading the Implants
The implants should not be subjected to too much pressure because they can either break or dig into your gum making you bleed. In this regard, you should avoid biting hard foods or grinding your teeth. If you suffer from conditions such bruxism, you should wear a nightguard when sleeping. Furthermore, you should keep off dentures if you have one especially after the treatment is done. Doing so will create more pressure on your dental implants which can result in bone loss. If you must wear dentures, seek advice from our dentist in Victorville, Liberty Village Dental Care.
Avoid Touching the Dental Implants
Undergoing dental implant surgery means having foreign objects introduced in your mouth. As such, you will likely feel uncomfortable, sensitive, and may be tempted to touch them. However, you should resist the urge to touch them because you will not only delay the healing process but also you may end up introducing bacteria leading to infection.
Regular dental check-up Dental implants are just like the normal teeth, and therefore they require regular check-ups from a dentist. You should consequently schedule for check-ups for at least every 3 to 6 months to have the implants checked by the professionals. These visits to a dentist are essential
because besides cleaning the implants, the dentist can also diagnose any problems with your gums and implants. Even during these visits, the professional can advise the right tools and procedures for your dental implant maintenance depending on their condition.
Visual Inspection Following the above tips is not enough to keep your dental implant safe and healthy. You need to visually inspect the area around the implant routinely. Otherwise, when you wait until three months to get your implant examined by a dentist, a problem may be developing in between, and the time you reach your dentist, it may be beyond reversing. During the inspection, check for signs such as swelling, redness or bleeding. If you notice such issues, contact your dentist before they develop to a significant problem.
Risk of poor dental implant hygiene and maintenance
Proper dental implant maintenance is essential because neglecting them could lead to experiencing various complications. One of these problems is bleeding which is known as mucositis, and if it’s not treated early, it can lead to more severe issues such as infection and bone loss. Therefore, appropriate maintenance shouldn’t be an option but mandatory if you want to enjoy your implants.
If you have a missing tooth, there is no better way to replace them other than using a dental implant. However, if you don’t adhere to appropriate maintenance and hygiene routine, you will never realize the benefits of having dental implants. Worse still, you may end up suffering more due to complications that may result in neglecting the implants. Proper dental implant maintenance and implant hygiene entail being committed on a personal basis and adhering to the advice of a professional dentist. You need to observe proper oral hygiene, eat healthily, inspect them routinely, avoid touching them, and keep a schedule to your dentist. If you follow these routines, your implants will serve you for a long time without causing you any problems. When you encounter a problem with your implants, contact a dentist immediately to book an appointment. Don’t wait until a small issue turns into a mammoth while you can get help.
Contact our Victorville dental office today, and we will help you to restore your smile and confidence.