How to Care for Dental Implants
When you schedule a dental implant surgery at Sunrise Dental, you probably have questions about what happens afterward. For example, you may wonder how to care for dental implants—do they require special handling? And will you need to make any changes to your home oral care regimen? Let’s answer those questions and more!
What Not to Do after Getting Dental Implants
First, let’s talk about caring for dental implants immediately following surgery. There are some things you should avoid doing with your new implants to help ensure your gums and mouth recover quickly.
Avoid Certain Foods and Drinks
For the first few days following the procedure, we recommend sticking to soft, non-spicy foods and temperate beverages. Excessively hot and/or spicy foods and drinks can impede the healing process after the procedure. Plus, soft foods will be easier to chew than hard foods for the first few days while your mouth gets used to your implants.
No Smoking
We all know how harmful smoking is to your overall health. Nicotine in cigarettes and other tobacco products affects the blood vessels in your body. This can make it harder for your mouth to heal after dental implant surgery. Smoking also increases the possibility that the implant does not take hold and falls out.
Lay Off Intense Exercise
As intensive physical activity raises your heart rate and increases blood flow, this can lead to excessive bleeding around the site of your dental implants. We suggest switching to less intense forms of exercise—like walking or gentle yoga—for the first few days after the procedure.
How to Take Care of Your Dental Implants
Now that you know what to avoid after dental implant surgery, let’s discuss some tips for proper care. When you have implants, it’s important to know how to brush and floss them, as well as the types of toothpaste and mouthwash to use. Here’s what we recommend.
Brush With a Soft Toothbrush
Just like with natural teeth, you should brush dental implants twice a day. When brushing, it’s important to brush not only the surface of the crown but also underneath it along the gum line. And you want to make sure to use a soft nylon toothbrush, as a hard toothbrush may scratch your implant. If you prefer an electric or sonic toothbrush, check us first so we can recommend the right one.
Floss Every Day
Dental implants also need daily flossing. Bacteria and food particles can build up on and around your implant—especially at the base where it meets the gums—causing plaque, inflammation, and all sorts of other issues. Make sure to floss at least once a day to keep your implants healthy. You can also ask us about using a Waterpik for extra help keeping your implants clean.
Skip Abrasive Toothpaste
Many kinds of toothpaste on the market today use abrasive ingredients like baking soda or charcoal to help whiten teeth. These types of abrasive materials can damage the material used to make the crown portion of your implant. Your best option is to use toothpaste made specifically for cleaning dental implants—feel free to ask for our suggestions!
Use the Right Mouthwash
We will give you a special mouth rinse to use during the days directly following your dental implant procedure that will help the healing process. Afterward, mouthwash can still be a part of your home dental care. However, make sure to only use mouthwashes without alcohol, as they can cause dry mouth.
Dental Implant Care in Glendale, Arizona
Dental implants provide a permanent solution for people who have lost teeth. They fully restore your ability to eat, talk, smile, and fully enjoy life again. With just some simple guidance, learning how to care for dental implants is very easy to do and is not much different than taking care of natural teeth. If you have questions on how to care for dental implants or are interested in getting implants, call Sunrise Dental today at 623-526-1154 to make an appointment.
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