If you’ve recently had dental implant surgery, congratulations! Dental implants are a great way to improve your smile and oral health. However, taking care of your new implants is essential to ensure they last for many years to come.
Here are seven habits to improve your dental implant care. Following these instructions will help your implants heal properly and reduce the risk of infection.
1. Brush Your Teeth Daily
This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s important to brush your teeth thoroughly, especially around your dental implants. Plaque can easily build up around dental implants, so be sure to brush gently but thoroughly.
2. Use Dental Floss and Mouthwash
Flossing is just as important for dental implants as it is for your natural teeth. Be sure to floss gently around your implants to avoid damaging them. Moreover, mouthwash can help reduce the risk of infection around your dental implants. Be sure to choose an alcohol-free mouthwash to avoid drying out your mouth.
3. Follow Post-surgery Dental Implant Instructions
Be sure to follow your dentist or surgeon’s post-surgery instructions for dental implants. This may include eating soft foods, avoiding hard foods, and not smoking. Following these instructions will help your implants heal properly and reduce the risk of infection.
4. Set Reminders on Your Phone to Help You Remember
It can be easy to forget to take care of your dental implants, especially if you’re used to taking care of your natural teeth. To help you remember, set reminders on your phone or calendar. For example, you could set a weekly reminder to floss your implants or a monthly reminder to see your dentist for a cleaning.
5. Avoid Hard-To-Chew Food
Hard-to-chew foods can damage your dental implants. Be sure to avoid hard foods, such as nuts, hard candy, and ice. Chew on your back teeth to avoid damaging your implants whenever you eat hard foods.
6. Quit Smoking
Smoking is terrible for your health, and that includes your dental health. Smoking can cause gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss. It can also cause staining and bad breath. Smoking can damage the implants and cause them to fail if you have dental implants. Quitting smoking is the best way to protect your dental implants and your overall health.
7. Eat a Healthy Diet
Eating a healthy diet is essential for your overall health, but it’s also important for your dental implants. Eating a balanced diet helps keep your gums healthy, which in turn helps keep your implants healthy.
8. Schedule Regular Dental Checkups
You must visit your dentist regularly, even if you have dental implants. Your dentist can help you ensure that your implants are healthy and infection-free. They can also spot any potential problems early on and provide treatment if necessary.
Final Thoughts
It is important to take care of your dental implants to ensure they last for a long time. There are a few habits that you can adopt to help improve the health of your implants, including brushing and flossing regularly, avoiding sugary and acidic foods and drinks, quitting smoking, and visiting your dentist for regular checkups.
For more information on maintaining dental implants, book an appointment with Waban Dental Group. The expert orthodontist team in our dental office in Newton, MA, will assist you with the best oral health solutions. Call us now for more information.
