The Best Way to Clean Your Dental Implants
January 27, 2023
Looking to replace missing teeth? Dental implants are a healthy and hugely popular option to get your teeth looking the best they have in years, but in order to keep them looking like this it requires a little bit of attention. Like with anything, consistency is key – so first and foremost we need to be focussing on our cleaning routine.
A dental implant cleaning routine should look like:
Brushing twice a day
Just like with natural teeth, stick to the rule of 2 minutes a time (minimum), twice per day (first thing in the morning and just before bed) and consider a new toothbrush with a soft bristle. You ought to check you’re using the correct brushing technique with your dentist – circular motions as well as back and forth to ensure all surfaces are covered. This is to ensure food debris isn’t getting stuck and preventing any decay or gum disease which will hinder the appearance and overall health of your replacement teeth – just like with your natural teeth!
Flossing once a day
Flossing helps to remove plaque (essentially a fancy word for sticky bacteria!) and get into those smaller gaps or pockets which may otherwise be difficult to spot. Plaque can stick on the surface of the tooth, develop into tarter (contributing to discolouration) as well as erode tooth enamel. Without an adequate oral health routine (e.g brushing and flossing), this can heighten your risk of peri-implantitis. This is an inflammatory condition affecting the hard and soft tissues surrounding the implant. If left unaddressed, this can cause loss of bone and the replacement tooth altogether.
Be picky with ingredients
Avoid products with additional ingredients such as baking soda, stain removal products or alcohol in your toothpaste/mouthwash. These can be abrasive on the special enamel used on your implants. If you’re ever unsure of which products to use, do check with your dentist.
Book dental visits every 6 months
Your dentist should make a programme for you to keep on top of your implant aftercare, but don’t let that stop you from planning your own visits. Professional cleaning is part of an effective aftercare plan to check everything is functioning properly and to preserve the condition of your dental implants.
It’s as simple as that! Establish a routine similar to that of your natural teeth and arrange regular check ups with the dentist. Don’t have a dentist? Click here to find a dentist near me.
Do you have any unanswered questions on day to day care for your teeth? Or are you still wondering, “So what is cosmetic dentistry?”. We’re here to help.
Get in touch to discuss whether dental implants are the right treatment for you, or if there’s another solution we can help guide you with.
No Comments
No comments yet.
RSS feed for comments on this post.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.