3 Mistakes To Avoid When Caring For Your New Dental Implants

Posted on: 14 December 2017

If you have just received dental implants, your dentist has probably already spoken to you about the importance of keeping them clean to avoid infection. However, below are some mistakes that you should avoid while taking care of your new dental implants.

Using an Electric Toothbrush

If you are used to using an electric toothbrush to clean your teeth, you may want to hold off on using it on your implants while they are still new. While the high vibrations of an electric brush do help remove more food and plaque, they could damage your still-healing gums.

While your gums are healing, temporarily switch out your electric toothbrush with a manual one with soft bristles. When using your new brush, apply gentle pressure, especially when brushing around your implants.

Flossing Around the Implants

Even after you get your new dental implants, cleaning the spaces between them and your teeth is crucial to preventing infection, plaque, and gum disease. However, if you use dental floss while your implants are still new, you run the risk of pulling the implants out by the posts because the gums are not fully healed around them.

Instead of using floss, use a water pick system to flush the areas between your teeth and gums. Placing the pick close to your teeth will flush away most of the food and help remove bacteria from between them and around the implants.

Neglecting to Use an Antiseptic Mouthwash

While brushing with a manual toothbrush and using a water pick will help keep your teeth clean, you do not want to leave out using an antiseptic mouthwash during your oral hygiene routine. An antiseptic mouthwash will help kill any germs around the implant area, helping to keep your gums free from infection.

If you do not have an antiseptic mouthwash on hand, you can make a temporary solution with salt and warm water. Since salt naturally kills bacteria and other germs, mixing a teaspoon in a cup of water and swishing it around your teeth will help keep your implant areas clean until you can purchase an over-the-counter antiseptic mouthwash, preferably one recommended by your dentist.

Avoiding the above mistakes while performing oral hygiene around your new implants can help keep them damage-free while preventing infection. If you have any further questions, speak with the dentist who performed your dental implant procedure to seek their guidance on how to care for your new teeth. Contact a dentist, like Kenneth Schweizer DDS PA, for more help.

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