Dental implants can restore your smile, but their success over a long term relies on maintenance. An implant smile that is superb requires more than daily brushing. Neglecting your implants can lead to infection, gum disease, and even implant failure.
While implants function like natural teeth, they also need special treatment to ensure their longevity. This blog is a comprehensive guide about how to brush and floss around your implants properly for a healthy, lasting smile.
Why Oral Hygiene Matters for Dental Implants
Overlooking implants will lead to severe complications. Plaque buildup can lead to infection and gum disease, and even implant failure. Bacteria, if not cleaned well, collect at the site of the implant, which can lead to inflammation and bone loss. Maintaining hygiene around these artificial tooth roots ensures that they are free from all such issues, and they remain functional and pleasing to look at for decades.
Dental implants in Salt Lake City are not like natural teeth. Natural teeth have soft tissue around them, but implants rest on the jawbone with a metal post. This is distinct from natural teeth when it comes to cleaning. Plaque can accumulate around the crowns and abutments and cause irritation of the gums, and be painful. Understanding how the implants work is vital in maintaining their health.
How to Properly Brush Your Dental Implants
A soft-bristled toothbrush is the best toothbrush to use when cleaning implants. An electric toothbrush on a gentle setting can be used as well. These devices avoid damaging both the gums and the implant surfaces and make your implants healthy without wearing them away. Gentle, daily brushing will eliminate plaque without endangering the sensitive areas surrounding the implants.
Gently brushing your dental implants is essential. Here’s how to do it effectively:
- Position your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to your gums.
- Brush in circles and use them gently to brush around the implant and gums.
- Brush the crown, abutment, and gum line to remove the plaque build-up.
Ensure to brush all the surfaces of the implants with soft strokes that will not damage them. Brushing daily eliminates food particles and bacteria and ensure that your implants are in their prime.
When you brush your implants, use fluoride-based non-abrasive toothpaste. This will help avoid scratching the surface of the implants without affecting gum health. Avoid the use of whitening toothpaste since it can be too abrasive for implants and result in wear on the surface over time. The right toothpaste is a major key to the success of dental implants.
Flossing Around Dental Implants: What You Need to Know
Flossing is essential with these artificial tooth roots because it removes food particles and plaque that the toothbrush cannot reach. Plaque between the teeth and against the implants can lead to gum disease and infection, which can compromise the strength of the implants. Flossing regularly keeps your gums in good shape and your implants clean.
Not all floss is suitable for dental implants in Salt Lake City. Waxed floss, implant floss, or interdental brushes are best for cleaning around implants. These options are employed to clean around the abutment and between posts of implants without harming the thin gum tissue. Implant-specific floss is used to promote healthy gums, which are extremely necessary for stable implants.
Do the following around dental implants to floss:
- Floss in a gentle and controlled motion. Avoid snapping the floss to prevent gum injury.
- Wind the floss around the implant posts and pull it gently between the gum and the implant.
- Floss on both sides of the implant area to remove all the food particles.
Correct flossing removes plaque and keeps your dental implants free from plaque and healthy.
Your dental implants require commitment to keep. Brushing, flossing, and regular check-ups are all necessary for a healthy implant. Brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush, non-abrasive toothpaste, and proper flossing can extend the life of your implants.
Don’t let your implant maintenance slide. Make an appointment with us today to keep your implants in top condition for years to come.