Can you ever forget that first bite into your favorite dish after getting implants?!
Dental implants are the best way to replace a lost tooth because they look and act as a real tooth without having to worry about falling out in public like dentures do.
But if you need the full benefit of having dental implants, give them a bit of attention and love every day. Taking care of them is the same as protecting your smile and confidence.
So, here we share some dental implant maintenance tips to help those who had implant surgery recently and for those who are planning to have dental implants soon.
In This Blog
- Why is Taking Care of Dental Implants Important?
- Daily Care Routine for Dental Implants
- Foods to Eat and Avoid for Healthy Dental Implants
- Regular Dental Checkups and Professional Cleaning
- Bad Habits to Avoid
- What to Do If You Notice a Problem with Your Implant?
Why is Taking Care of Dental Implants Important?
The Indian dental implants and final abutment market is experiencing rapid growth, showing a rising number of people getting implants done every year. In 2023, the market was valued at over $127 million. By 2030, it’ll reach up to $330 million with a CAGR of 14%.
The sad truth is that with the multiplying number of dental implants in India, the count of implant failures is also going up. This indicates that we need to be aware of dental implant care and how it plays a key role in giving people a good experience with them.
The outcome of practicing dental implant maintenance tips in your life are:
- Prevents infections and gum disease.
- Helps implants last for decades.
- Keep your smile looking great.
Daily Care Routine for Dental Implants
Let’s learn how to integrate dental implant care into our everyday life.
Brushing Your Dental Implants the Right Way
Dental implant support starts with brushing twice daily. It cleans the teeth, removes plaque buildup, and maintains the health of your gums. With these implants, you don’t have to worry about tooth decay.
If you’re using hard-bristled brushes and abrasive toothpaste, your dentist will ask you to replace them with non-abrasive fluoride toothpaste and soft-bristled brushes. This is to avoid brushing impairing your teeth and implants.
Flossing to Keep Your Implants Clean
Floss reaches where brushes can’t. They generally remove plaque and safeguard your gum health. Most importantly, when you avoid flossing every day after having dental implants, it can cause peri-implantitis (inflammation in gums and bones around the implants), resulting in implant failure.
- Buy implant-safe floss or a water flosser.
- Clean between the adjacent teeth, under the gumline.
- Set your water flossers on low or medium to protect the gums.
Using Antibacterial Mouthwash
Have you had a dental implant treatment? Then you better start using antibacterial mouthwash. Because they are highly efficient in eliminating harmful bacteria in your mouth that can damage your gums and tooth bones.
They can also speed up your healing process. For best results, select a mouthwash with chlorhexidine or cetylpyridinium chloride and be careful not to buy one with alcohol since they can irritate the gums.
Foods to Eat and Avoid for Healthy Dental Implants
The food you eat is one of the important factors in dental implant maintenance tips. It affects the overall health of your teeth and dental implants.
Best Foods for Dental Implant Health
Eating the right foods can help keep your dental implants and oral health in great shape. Here are some of the best foods to support implant longevity and gum health:
Nutrients | Benefits | Food Source |
Calcium | Increases the strength of your jawbone. | Milk, yogurt, leafy greens, plant-based milk |
Protein | Fast recovery with healing tissues | Chicken, fish, eggs, tofu, beans, lentils, Greek yogurt |
Hydrating Foods | Boosts saliva production and prevents dry mouth. | Watermelon, cucumbers, celery, apples |
Soft Foods (Post-Surgery) | Speed up the healing after implant placement. | Avocado, mashed potatoes, smoothies, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, soups |
Vitamin C | Prevents infections | Strawberries, kiwis, bell peppers, broccoli |
Omega-3 Fatty Acids | Acts against inflammation | Seafood, flaxseeds, avocados, olive oil |
Say No to These Foods
You can have 90% of your chewing ability restored after dental implant surgery. But you’ll have to make sacrifices on some of your favorite foods and snacks if you do not wish to ruin them.
Food Type | Why to Avoid | Examples |
Sticky & Chewy Foods | They stick to implants and are difficult to clean. | Caramel, toffee, chewing gum, dried fruits |
Hard & Crunchy Foods | Puts excess pressure on implants | Nuts, hard candies, popcorn, ice cubes |
Sugary Foods & Drinks | Increases risk of gum disease and bacteria buildup | Soda, candy, pastries, sugary cereals |
Acidic Foods & Drinks . | Damages the enamel over time and irritates gum tissues. | Citrus fruits, vinegar-based dressings, soda |
Very Hot or Spicy Foods | Causes gum irritation, especially after surgery. | Hot soups, spicy peppers, coffee |
Alcohol & Smoking | Slows down healing and increases the risk of implant failure. | Carbonated and alcoholic drinks, tobacco products |
Regular Dental Checkups and Professional Cleaning
The steps you’re taking to keep oral hygiene and dental implant health will not be complete without scheduling a dentist visit at least once every 6 months. This way you can make sure the dental implants are in optimal condition. You can enhance the result by performing a professional cleaning to remove tartar and plaque.
- Detects implant issues before they turn into complications.
- Monitors gum health and prevents receding gums.
- Checks whether the bite and alignment of your implant are correct
- Provides maximum return on your investment
Bad Habits to Avoid
The next step of dental implant maintenance tips is to say goodbye to certain habits. Let’s take a look into what they are:
Smoking and Its Effect on Dental Implants
Smoking is not only detrimental to our overall health, it can seriously damage dental implants and can even cause peri-implantitis. Smoking;
- Slows down the healing process
- Making the area of surgery vulnerable to infections
- Reduces the blood flow to the gums
- Easily stains the implant.
- Higher possibility of failed implant surgery
If you’re a chain smoker, you should reduce smoking before and after the surgery to give them proper time to heal. Smoking cessation aids can also be of greater help if you find it harder to stop it. You can ask your dentist for recommendations.
Bruxism
Bruxism risks implant failure. This condition applies increased pressure on the dental implant, irritating the gums and causing infections. Teeth grinding can be seen in people with high-stress levels and those who don’t sleep well at night. It will create unbearable jaw pain, headaches, worn-out enamel, and chipped teeth.
If you notice any of the above-mentioned symptoms after sleep, please go to your dentist and ask him to prescribe a night guard protection. Night guard protection is soft and can absorb the pressure of teeth grinding, so it causes no harm to your dental implants.
What to Do If You Notice a Problem with Your Implant?
Regular implant checkups are an essential part of dental implant treatment. But there are times you need to give immediate professional attention to avoid severe complications, such as:
- When you notice any sign of receding gums
- The implant feels wobbly and moving while eating and speaking.
- Pain and discomfort that is only increasing
- Difficulty chewing
If you identify any of these issues, approach your periodontist as soon as possible to make sure your dental implants are doing okay. Otherwise, the infection will spread and cause dental implant failure. When it happens, the dentist might have to perform other expensive corrective surgery.
Key Points Covered
- Dental implants give you a second chance to smile, eat, and feel confident in life.
- Dental implant maintenance tips are very important to create a healthy environment for your gums.
- Your diet can either improve your dental implant health or ruin it completely.
- The habit of smoking is a real villain that can destroy your dental implant.
- Take preventive measures to avoid bruxism having an impact on the implant.
Dental implant surgery is a lifesaver for those who lost their teeth in accidents, due to health conditions, or of old age. Because they make us smile brighter again with full confidence and let us taste our favorite dishes, which we thought we could never have.
But if you want them to last longer, you should give them a few minutes from your daily life. In this blog, we’ve shared a few dental implant maintenance tips to show you how to properly take good care of your dental implants.
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