When your teeth fall out it can be quite difficult to adjust to the way you look. A solution that is much more permanent than dentures would be dental implants. They can be fitted quickly and easily so that your other teeth aren’t negatively affected by the gap. Similarly, if you’re worried about how you might look with missing teeth you might want to think about getting dental implants fitted by a specialist. Once an implant is fitted it tends to last around fifteen years, but only if they are looked after correctly. There is a lot you should know about taking care of your dental implants, so consider the following five tips for the ultimate care and maintenance.
1. Quit Smoking and Reduce Alcohol Consumption
Not only are drinking and smoking bad for your overall health, but they will also have a negative impact on your new implants. Smoking will actually delay the healing process and weaken the bone structure, which contributes to excellent oral health. There is nothing stopping you from enjoying the odd glass of wine or beer, but too much of the good stuff will contribute to pain and sensitivity.
2. Don’t Forget to Brush
You need to care for your dental implants just as you would your normal teeth, but even moreso! There are special toothbrushes that are dedicated to patients with tooth implants so that you can reach those tough areas more easily. Make sure you brush at least twice a day for around three for four minutes to avoid the build up of plaque.
3. Beware of the Foods You Eat
When you have dental implants you need to be quite carefully about eating hard or sticky foods. They could lead to damage or breakage, which would then mean you need more dental implants. You don’t want to compromise the delicate structure of the implant and risk it weakening by eating toffee, hard nuts, chewy sweets and chewing gum.
4. Flossing is Important
So many people are guilty of forgetting to floss on a daily basis. Even if you can floss after each meal this will significantly improve your oral health and the shelf life of your dental implants. Use a good quality dental floss to remove the bacteria before any cavities start to form.
5. Keep Up With Your Check UPS
Make sure you seek out the advice from dental specialists on a regular basis. Patients who have dental implants require a little more care and attention than others. By keeping up with your appointments you can have peace of mind that your dental implants are in good shape. Make sure you take any questions along with you to the dentist so they can answer them for you.
The sooner you pay a visit to your dentist to gain more information about dental implants, the better. Now you know how to properly take care of your new permanent fixtures, so you can be sure that they will be well looked after, just like you would care for your real teeth.
