4 Ways to Care for your Dental Implants

Bloomsburg, Danville, and Lewisburg, PA

Getting dental implants can be an exciting time. Whether you have lived with tooth loss for years or are replacing badly damaged teeth to restore your smile, dental implants are among the best, most popular tooth replacement options. Like anything, they require care. Although dental implants won’t actually develop any cavities, they still need to be cared for as you continue your routine dental hygiene habits at home. Neglecting your dental implants could lead to bad breath, gum disease, or implant failure in which the entire implant has to be removed. To help you protect your investment, and maintain good oral health for the long haul, our implant dentists in Bloomsburg share four ways to care for your dental implants.

1. Brush your teeth daily

Brushing your teeth should already be something that you do every day, but it’s even more crucial to follow through with this twice-a-day habit if you have dental implants. Even though your implants aren’t subject to tooth decay, plaque and tartar buildup may still occur, which could result in foul-smelling breath, gum disease, or discoloration of your implant crown. Therefore, keep up with your daily oral hygiene practice of brushing your teeth twice a day. Our Bloomsburg implant dentists also recommend that you use an ADA-approved toothpaste and brush using a soft-bristled toothbrush.

2. Floss once a day

Food and bacteria can easily become trapped under the implant crown where it rests along the gumline. If ignored, the buildup could lead to bad breath, a gum infection, or implant failure, if the infection were to inflict the supporting jawbone. The best way to keep interproximal areas clean is to floss daily. While you’re at it, be sure to floss all of your teeth! Flossing is the best way to clean between your teeth or under dental implants and bridges where your toothbrush can’t reach. String floss is always best, but if you struggle using floss, consider using a water flosser instead.

3. Clean your teeth on-the-go

You might find it helpful to keep some floss or pack of interproximal brushes with you in your car, desk at work, or your purse. Since food can easily get trapped underneath your implant crown, it could cause bad breath or gum irritation. Keeping some on-the-go oral hygiene products with you at all times to dislodge food particles that may get stuck under your implant not only helps freshen your breath but protects your implant and gum health.

4. See the dentist twice a year

Everyone should see the dentist twice a year or once every six months. During these visits, you receive a thorough dental cleaning, as well as a checkup by your general dentist in Bloomsburg. Regardless of how well or often you brush your teeth and floss at home, you still get tartar buildup, which is a hard stuck-on by-product of oral bacteria that can only be removed by a professional dental cleaning. Plus, during your checkup, the dentist will assess your teeth, including your implant, to ensure it is in good shape.

Dental Implants in Bloomsburg, Danville, and Lewisburg

If you have dental implants, it’s essential to care for them properly. Follow our tips to preserve your oral health and protect your dental implants. If you’d like to learn more about dental implants to replace your missing teeth, contact Hamilton Dental Care by calling (570) 387-0533 to schedule a consultation.