Dental implants are the most effective tooth replacement option for many patients who have lost teeth due to accident or tooth decay. Their best feature is that they are the only option that connects directly to the jaw bone. This direct connection helps to keep your jaw bone healthy by encouraging your jaw to replace old bone with new bone tissue on a regular basis. Here we have our complete dental implants care guide.
Dental Implants Care Guide
The only medical downside of the connection between the implant and the jaw is the risk of infection. Infection can affect all tooth replacement options of course, but there is the fear that an infection around a dental implant may infect the jaw more easily. Fortunately, preventing infection is as easy as caring for your dental implant during your normal oral hygiene routine.
Post-Operative Care
Once your dental implant is placed, you’ll have a recovery period. The good news is that it’s relatively short, and there aren’t too many restrictions. Your specific post-operative instructions may vary depending on your circumstances, but these are the general guidelines.
- Consume a liquid diet for at least 24 hours (no straws).
- Only use pain medication approved by your oral surgeon because the wrong kind can increase bleeding.
- Don’t rinse your mouth for the first 24 hours. Drinking hydrating liquids is fine.
- Rinse with salt water when your oral surgeon gives the okay.
- Rest.
During those first few days it is normal to experience some swelling and bleeding, but keep your dentist in Burbank in the loop if anything seems a bit off.
Daily Care
Dental implants usually take multiple visits to complete. Fortunately, the success rates and life-long benefits more than make up for the wait in the vast majority of cases. Once you’ve finished getting your dental implants in Burbank and healed up, all you really have to do is maintain a normal oral hygiene routine with some minor adjustments.
Brushing Twice Daily
Ideally, we would brush every time we eat, but most of us don’t have time for that. Luckily, it takes a while for plaque to form, and brushing twice a day is usually enough to keep it at bay. Brushing after breakfast and before bed is a great way to keep your teeth and gums healthy, plus it helps to keep the area around your dental implant clean. For the best effect, dentists recommend using a soft-bristled brush approved by the American Dental Association.
Flossing Every Day
Flossing is always important, but it is especially important if you have a dental implant. Dental implants are incredible, but it is a bit easy for bacteria to sneak around the gum and underneath the dental implant. Unfortunately, traditional floss can sometimes leave fragments in those sensitive areas, which can increase irritation. To floss comfortably around your dental implant consider a water flosser, an interdental brush, or a floss threader.
Using Mouthwash Daily
Once you’re cleared to resume rinsing with mouthwash, it will become an important part of your daily routine. Think of mouthwash as the last line of defense. Or a tool that helps to catch the little bits of bacteria that our brush and floss may have missed. When it comes to your dental implant, having this additional tool can be vital to keeping the gum tissue and bone around the dental implant free of bacteria.
Learning to Care for a Dental Implant
Although you might need to switch up your method of flossing, caring for a dental implant is very similar to caring for your natural teeth. With that said, if you have struggled with dental hygiene in the past, then this is the perfect opportunity to make sure you’re using the right techniques to keep your mouth healthy.
If you need a demonstration of proper brushing or flossing techniques, don’t hesitate to ask your dental hygienist or dentist. They’re seasoned professionals, and they are always happy to ensure patients have the tools they need to stay healthy. Of course, if you aren’t comfortable asking during your next office visit, you can always find tutorial videos by the American Dental Association.