Do's for Dental Implant Care DO choose a low-abrasive, tartar-control toothpaste. Using a normal OTC toothpaste containing fluoride is OK. There is no need to choose a special type of toothpaste, but look for the ADA Seal of Approval to find the ideal options.
Use a Soft Nylon Brush
Make sure you avoid toothbrushes that contain hard bristles, as these can scratch the surface of your implants. In fact, you should avoid using any sort of metal instrument to clean your mouth once your implants are in place. Instead, just stick to regular brushing and flossing twice a day.
Make sure you're using a non-abrasive toothpaste and soft or extra-soft toothbrush, as harsh products could be too rough on your gums and restorations. Gently brush your implant restorations the same way you do your other teeth and then brush along the gumlines where plaque tends to be heaviest.
Brushing your teeth is recommended after dental implant placement. The cleaner we can keep your mouth and the surgical site itself, the lower the risk of infection. Brushing the surgical site itself should be done VERY GENTLY, allowing the antibiotic mouth rinse to do most of the cleaning in that area.
Fluoride does not hurt dental implant restorations. Avoid toothpastes that contain excessively abrasive ingredients (baking soda, stain removers, smoker's toothpastes, etc).
Do's for Dental Implant Care
DO choose a low-abrasive, tartar-control toothpaste. Using a normal OTC toothpaste containing fluoride is OK. There is no need to choose a special type of toothpaste, but look for the ADA Seal of Approval to find the ideal options. DO use a Waterpik flosser.
Many dental professionals recommend using a manual toothbrush during the first few weeks after implant placement. This practice can help prevent irritation of sensitive tissues during the healing process. Once the area is healed, an electric toothbrush is an excellent choice for routine home cleaning.
The key is to not get one with stiff or hard bristles, as they could traumatize the gum tissues around the implant and restoration. Next, select a gentle, non-abrasive toothpaste. Be sure to avoid harsh products that feel gritty, such as baking soda.
Keeping your dental implant clean
For two weeks after having your implant fitted, you must rinse the area with antiseptic mouthwash (which your dentist can recommend to you) morning and night for one minute. You'll also need to rinse your mouth with warm salt water after every meal.
Visit the Dentist Every Three Months
A quarterly visit for routine maintenance and cleaning of your implants and dentures is a must. The visit can be as routine as scaling and cleaning or as thorough as removing the permanently attached dentures for a deep cleaning of the implant roots, depending on plaque buildup.
Once calculus has established itself, this deposit cannot be brushed or flossed off and can only be removed by a dental hygienist. Failure to do this can lead to receding gum tissue and bone loss and may result in the implant falling out.
You can always ask your oral surgeon for more specific guidance, but in most cases, after the patient has healed fully from dental implant placement, the use of an electric toothbrush is perfectly safe for your implants.
As you heal from getting dental implants, your gums will gradually grow around the dental implants to provide support like they do for your natural teeth. However, your dentist will also monitor your gum growth during your healing and recovery process to make sure the gums do not grow over the implant completely.
You might notice a metal or white-colored material, which is the healing abutment that protrudes through the gum tissue. This post is attached to the implant, with a healing abutment to form the gum opening where the future tooth will be placed.
The surfaces that keep the implant in place are microscopically roughened, which also makes them difficult to clean. It can be challenging to clean dental implants, but studies have shown their rate of success is still quite high.
For about a month after dental implant surgery you will want to avoid using mouthwash. In the days immediately following surgery, you will also want to avoid spitting or swishing vigorously because this can irritate the surgical site.
Because dental implants are sealed in place along the gumline, it is difficult for any food to get stuck underneath them. However, it is not impossible if the implant was placed incorrectly.
The average lifespan of a dental implant is anywhere from 10 -30 years. This means that most likely, depending on your age when you get an implant, it will last for the rest of your life. No other tooth replacement option has the ability to last that long.
Therefore, flossing around dental implants should be done with extreme caution. You should never push the floss down into the gum pocket. If you fear that you lack the ability to floss around the restoration without disturbing the peri-implant seal, it is best simply not to floss around the implant at all.
Whitening toothpaste often contains abrasive materials such as silica, activated charcoal, or baking soda. These coarse elements scrub the tooth to remove stains. Using abrasive material on dental implants can scratch the surface, allowing bacteria to infect the otherwise impenetrable tooth.