How do you care for dental implants?

1. Adjust your diet
2. Be gentle with cleaning after surgery
3. Brush and floss daily
4. Visit your dentist regularly

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is usually made from titanium alloy. This is surgically secured to your jawbone to serve as an anchor for a dental crown, bridge, or denture. The implant fuses to your bone, so you will feel that you grew a new tooth. Because it’s a prosthesis and a restoration, you need to learn how to take care of dental implants. This way, they will last a lifetime.

Dental implants require between three and four trips to your dentist. These visits are spread out over a three to six-month period. After having your implants installed, you will need to be consistent with your oral hygiene regime, stay away from foods that can damage your teeth, and visit your dentist for follow-up checkups. Keep on reading for more information on how to take care of your dental implants.

Adjust Your Diet

Immediately after the placement of your implants, your gums will be swollen and tender. For the first 24-48 hours, it’s advised to only consume soft foods and liquids such as the following:

• Water
• Bone broth
• Protein shake
• Yogurt
• Scrambled eggs
• Mashed potatoes
• Instant oatmeal
• Tofu
• Flaky fish

During the first few weeks after the procedure, you should avoid foods that can delay your healing and recovery. These include tough, crunchy, sticky, chewy, and spicy foods. Stay away from acidic, sugary, and extremely hot foods. As your gums begin to heal, you can start reintroducing more solid foods to your diet.

After the final placement of your permanent crowns, you can return to eating normally again. But there are some foods that you might want to lessen or avoid, so you can extend the lifespan of your implants and crown.

• Staining beverages such as tea, coffee, or red wine.
• Sugary foods that can promote the spread of decay-causing bacteria.

Be Gentle with Cleaning After Surgery

Keeping your mouth clean after dental implant placement is important to reduce the risk of infections. You can brush and floss the rest of your teeth that were not involved in the surgery starting the evening you return home. But the surgical site should not be touched for at least a week after your surgery or as advised by your dentist.

Instead, you can keep the surgical area clean by using the mouth rinse prescribed by your dentist. It’s also best to keep food away from the site by rinsing after eating. Once the area has healed and is not sensitive anymore, you can start brushing and flossing the area very gently.

Brush and Floss Daily

When it comes to the long-term care of your dental implants, it’s still recommended to brush twice a day and floss regularly. Although they’re artificial, you still need to care for them just like they’re natural teeth.

Use a soft-bristled brush that is gentle but effective in cleaning your dental implants and crowns. There are also specially designed brushes that you can use to clean hard-to-reach areas. Avoid ones with hard bristles or metal parts, as these can scratch the surface of your new prosthesis.

Flossing is also important, especially around the base of the implant, because it helps you remove the food debris that has accumulated. This can also help remove plaque and bacteria along the gums, which is necessary for preventing oral health problems.

Visit Your Dentist Regularly

After your implant procedure, you need to prioritize healing. Because if the implant is not healing properly, there’s a possibility that it could fail. To monitor your progress, it’s important to schedule frequent visits to your dentist. They can diagnose issues at the early stages and prevent problems from worsening.

Once your dental implants have healed, you will still need to visit your dentist regularly, so they can notice issues with your oral health — whether it’s related to the implant or your other teeth.

Your dentist can also perform professional cleanings that can help maintain your implants. This is because if bacteria are left untreated, it can cause inflammation that can lead to bone loss around the implant — eventually causing it to loosen and fall out.

Key Takeaway

Caring for dental implants is easy as long as you follow the instructions of your dentist. Focus on healing and recovery after the surgery, so you can enjoy your new smile and eat your favorite foods again soon. Don’t forget to prioritize your oral hygiene and visit your doctor regularly for checkups.

If you have questions on how to care for dental implants, you can send us a message here at Elevate Dental. Our dentists have vast experience in dental implant treatment, so they can help you have a more comfortable experience before, during, and after your surgery.

If you’re nervous about undergoing the procedure, they can help you feel at ease, so you can be free of worries. In addition to that, our clinics are also equipped with facilities and amenities to make your stay more pleasant.