How Do I Take Care Of My Dental Implants?

Dental implants are an effective and popular way to restore missing teeth. They provide a secure, stable, and natural-looking replacement for your missing teeth. While dental implants are designed to last for many years, they still require proper care and maintenance to stay in the best condition. 

Following a few simple steps and guidelines ensures your dental implants remain healthy and strong. This article will discuss the best ways to take care of your dental implants, from brushing and flossing to scheduling regular checkups with your dentist. With the right care, your dental implants can last for years to come.

 

Tips For Caring for Your Dental Implants

If you take good care of your implant, it can live for up to 15 years. Below are the most important tips for caring for your dental implants;

1. Brush All Teeth Thoroughly Twice A Day

A two- to three-minute brushing session is recommended to eliminate any plaque that may be trying to form on the teeth. 

It’s also important to use a toothbrush made for people with dental implants. We advise using these toothbrushes since they can clean places that others can’t.  

2. Floss At Least Once A Day

Floss at least once daily, preferably after each meal. Food debris lodged between teeth can only be removed by carefully using dental floss. 

Plaque-causing bacteria can grow in the presence of these dietary remnants. To avoid hurting your gums or teeth, floss carefully. 

3. Avoid Eating Any Hard Or Sticky Foods

Eating hard foods can cause tooth fractures. Also, eating items that are too firm or too sticky might also weaken the dental implant’s support system. 

Foods like candies, nuts,  dried fruits, and peanuts all fall into the category of “hard” or “sticky” foods. 

4. Avoid Smoking Or Drinking Too Much Alcohol 

When a person smokes, it slows the healing process and can also impair the bone structure that is so important to excellent oral health. 

Drinking alcohol occasionally is generally acceptable, but excessive alcohol use can cause tooth sensitivity and, in extreme cases, mouth discomfort. 

5. Make Regular Dental Appointments 

Caring for dental implants properly after placing them is crucial to ensuring their longevity. As dental implants are meant to last a lifetime, dental implants require the same maintenance as natural teeth. 

Make an appointment as soon as possible if you have any concerns about the maintenance of your dental implants.

 

Aftercare For Dental Implant Surgery

1. Recovery Tips During First 24 Hours

The first 24 hours after oral surgery are crucial for healing; therefore, it’s best to avoid disturbing the area. 

Bleeding can be stopped by biting down on a piece of damp gauze. You should let your implant rest for the first 24 hours unless otherwise instructed.

It is best to continue taking care of your teeth as usual but to avoid the new implant for the time being. After the initial 24–48 hours, when the tenderness permits, you can begin caring for the surgical site. 

2. Days 2 To 4

Twice a day, you should brush your teeth. Take care around the incisions. When cleaning the interior of a removable denture, it is necessary to remove it.

You can start by giving your teeth a light rinse with a glass of warm salt water solution (about half a teaspoon of salt to one cup of water). After eating, it’s best to rinse your mouth out several times.

If a specific rinse was recommended, use it as suggested. When brushing your teeth, avoid the gums. You shouldn’t brush the area where the surgery took place. 

3. Care For Weeks 1 To 4

Same routine as days 2 and 4, but with a more vigorous rinsing action.

Do this cleaning routine for a total of 6 weeks.

Care for teeth Begin brushing twice or thrice daily on day 2. When making incisions, exercise caution.

No temporary prosthesis should be implanted there at least three weeks after an implant procedure.

Wait 12 weeks following surgery before using a Waterpik®.

How to Care For Single Dental Implants

1. Brush Twice A Day With A Soft Nylon-Coated Brush

Brushing with a soft bristle toothbrush is easier on dental implants and gums without compromising its ability to remove plaque, tartar, and food particles. It’s recommended to brush twice daily.

Bacterial plaque can accumulate while you sleep, but morning brushing can help get rid of it. Nighttime brushing, on the other hand, helps prevent further accumulation of plaque and tartar by removing bacteria and food particles that have accumulated over the day. 

2. Floss Daily

Flossing can thoroughly clean the area beneath and around your dental implant. Unlike regular floss, which can tangle around your crown and bridge, crown and bridge floss stays in place while you clean. 

Water flossers are another option to regular floss. You can get rid of microorganisms you couldn’t get to without these high-powered water jets. 

3. Use Low-Abrasive Toothpaste

A fresh dental implant can be damaged by using whitening toothpaste or toothpaste with baking soda in it. Use fluoride-free toothpaste (like bluem® fluoride-free toothpaste) when brushing your teeth. 

Studies have shown that fluoride and abrasive ingredients are not conducive to the regular care of dental implants, so this form of toothpaste is appropriate for anyone who has them. 

4. Brush Around And Under The Implant Crowns

Bacteria and plaque buildup around the implant crown should be removed to reduce the likelihood of implant failure. 

While a standard toothbrush may be sufficient, some people find that using an interdental brush with a thin head provides additional benefits. 

This brush is ideal for cleaning the area behind your implant, so if you have one there, don’t hesitate to pick it up. 

How to Care For Overdentures

1. Use A Denture Brush

Denture brushes should be used at least once daily to clean your overdentures. Many specialist brushes, like this one, are double-sided. 

A flat brush with soft bristles is on one side, much like a standard toothbrush. 

The other side features a more compact head with tapered bristles for cleaning in tight spaces and on irregular ground. 

You shouldn’t use regular toothpaste with a denture brush since it’s too abrasive. When brushing your overdentures, use dish soap or denture cleanser. 

2. Soak Dentures Daily With Denture Tablet

In contrast to certain kinds of toothpaste, dentistry tablets are made with a non-abrasive mix that cleans without scratching and leaves fewer locations for bacteria to thrive. 

If you soak your dentures in a denture cleaning tablet solution overnight, you can get rid of 99.9 per cent of the bacteria that cause bad breath. 

This method also helps remove stubborn stains and plaque, resulting in a cleaner and fresher denture in the morning. 

If you prefer not to soak your denture overnight, you can choose an “express” or “3-minute” tablet. 

3. Check For Missing Or Damaged Parts

O-rings, locator caps, and clips are all included in overdentures to help them securely fasten to the implants. You need to check daily to see that everything is in working order. 

Get in touch with your dentist as soon as you discover any cracks or missing parts. O-rings and locator caps should be replaced once a year as part of routine overdenture maintenance. 

4. Mouthwash

The use of an antimicrobial mouthwash in conjunction with regular cleaning can greatly minimize and even eradicate bacterial buildup around dental implants. 

FAQs

1. Do Dental Implants Need Special Care?

Yes, they do. Just like your natural teeth

2. Can You Use Toothpaste On Implants?

Care for the implant’s surface should be done using a non-abrasive, tartar control toothpaste. Don’t use toothpaste containing baking soda and too much fluoride. 

3. How Often Should Dental Implants Be Cleaned?

The same daily care and cleaning routine that you use for your natural teeth should be used for your implants.

4. What Is The Best Way To Clean Dental Implants?

• Clean twice daily with a soft-bristle toothbrush and a low-abrasive toothpaste 
• Use a nylon-coated interdental brush to clean tight corners in your teeth 
• Brush under and around the implant crown
• Use an oral irrigator (recommended by your dentist)
• Floss every day with implant-specific floss

5. What Helps Dental Implants Heal Faster?

• Take It Easy
• Make Diet Modifications
• Drink Up
• Ice Packs
• Rinse Your Mouth with Saline Solution
• Stop Smoking
• Establish an Oral Care Routine

Conclusion 

Maintaining your new, gorgeous smile with dental implants requires care that is quite comparable to that of natural teeth. 

If you have any questions, contact us for a quote. We have clinics in Perth and Brisbane, so you can visit any Mindarie Quinns Dental clinic in these locations.