Cleaning your dental implants looks the same as cleaning your natural teeth. Simply brush, floss, and even use mouthwash on a daily basis.
But because these are artificial teeth, there are certain things to keep in mind. Food particles and bacteria can actually get stuck in the areas around the implant. This can lead to the formation of plaque, which, if untreated can lead to an infection.
You can use a typical toothbrush to brush your dental implants, but patients wonder what type of toothbrush to use. There is essentially no dramatic difference when using sonic, electric, or manual toothbrushes, so any of those are fine to use.The main considerations should be how the brush feels on your implant and how easy the brush is to use. But whatever toothbrush you choose, it needs to be soft-bristled.
There are plenty of types of floss out there. Generally, dentists recommend using unwaxed tape or floss specifically for implants, ensuring that the surrounding tissue is best protected.But then for many types of prostheses, you should use a floss threader.
Oral irrigators can really help with reducing plaque and inflammation. Find a water flosser with a nonmetal tip and use it one to two times every day, supplementing it with non-alcoholic antimicrobial rinse as desired.
It’s very important to get your dental implant cleaned by a professional periodically. They will need to thoroughly clean the threads of the implant, the surrounding tissue, and your natural teeth. This helps keep away bacteria, which can lead to an infection. Involves probably incorporating scaling, a method that cleans much deeper than the surface of the tooth, cleaning below the gumline to remove the buildup of plaque.
It is so important you know how to maintain and clean dental implants properly, or else you could experience one or more of the complications associated with improper dental implant care.
If not cleaned properly, dental implants can start bleeding, also known as mucositis. If this is caught early, it’s actually reversible, but if it progresses too much, it could lead to infection and even bone loss. This is not reversible and may require implant removal and even bone graft.
The first 48 hours after the dental implant surgery are the most important. This is when the symptoms are most pronounced.
The first hour after surgery, keep firm but gentle pressure on the gauze packs with your teeth, keeping them in place.
Make sure not to change out the gauze until after that first hour, unless you have heavy and persistent bleeding. If you do have bleeding that doesn’t stop, put the new gauze in place for 30 minutes and then switch it out. After that, change the gauze every 30 to 45 minutes.
Here some symptoms you’ll probably see in the first day:
Seeing these symptoms means your body is healing itself.
To help your recovery go smoothly and to avoid complications make sure to follow these tips:
Some patients notice a sharp protrusion in their mouth. If you’re worried about it, feel free to contact your dentist.
Other things you may experience dry lips, a sore throat, and stiff jaw muscles, but these are all expected side effects of using gauze.
In the following days and weeks after your procedure, you should continue your care using the dental cleaning tools we mentioned above and regularly visiting your dentist.
Brushing, flossing, and rinsing with salt water should become second nature to you as your implants continue to heal.
One other thing you may want to consider is altering your diet, incorporating less acidic foods, softer diets and nutrient-rich drinks and foods.
And one step that cannot be overemphasized is that you need to schedule post-operative appointments with your dentist. It’s essential to the health of your dental implant, and it allows the dentist to clean and inspect your teeth.
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