If you’ve lost a tooth due to decay, injury, or gum disease, your dentist may recommend dental implants to restore the normal function of your mouth and enhance your smile. However, to reap the full benefits of your dental implants, you must take the necessary steps to ensure your implants are healthy and long-lasting. Please continue reading to learn the best ways to care for your dental implants and how our talented Restorative Dentistry/ Dentists Located in Basking Ridge & Morristown, NJ, can help you today.
How can I maintain my dental implants?
After getting dental implants, there are specific steps you should take to ensure the longevity of the implant. Firstly, you’ll want to use a soft-bristled toothbrush. While hard-bristled toothbrushes should always be avoided, it’s essential to refrain from using them on dental implants as they can easily scratch the surface, leading to irreversible damage. Soft-bristled toothbrushes will be gentle on your dental implants and clean hard-to-reach areas to prevent plaque buildup. Clean your teeth at least twice daily, brushing under and around the implant crown. It’s important to avoid abrasive toothpaste or mouthwash. Stick to using sensitive cleaning products. If you don’t use low-abrasive toothpaste and mouthwash, it will wear down your enamel and implant.
Moreover, it would be best if you floss daily. Brushing your teeth daily is insufficient to remove the plaque that accumulates between your teeth. If you have dental implants, flossing becomes more critical than ever before because plaque can quickly build up around your implants. Therefore, you should use unwaxed tape or implant-specific floss to prevent oral hygiene issues.
What else should I avoid?
It’s important to avoid sticky, hot, or hard foods. Consuming hard/sticky food can result in severe damage to your implants as they can break the implant. They also promote plaque buildup. The following foods should be avoided after getting implants:
- Ice
- Hard candies
- Dried fruits
- Crusty bread
- Potato chips
- Apples
- Carrots
- Steak
- Hardshell tacos
- Soups
If you have implants, you should avoid hot beverages or hot food products, as they can distort the shape of your implant. It’s also beneficial to limit your alcohol consumption. Alcohol is high in sugar, meaning it can slow down the healing process as it promotes the accumulation of plaque.
Furthermore, it would be best if you avoided smoking. In general, smoking is bad for your oral health. Dental implants take around six months to heal. Therefore, smoking during this period will inflame and weaken the gums around your implants. Smoking will also stain your new implants and overall slow down the healing process, much like alcohol consumption.
For more information on how to look after your dental implant, please don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with our experienced team of dentists and hygienists today. At Dental Associates of Basking Ridge, we are prepared to help you recover the smile you once had and ensure it’s long-lasting.
