So, you got dental implants. After you recover from the pain and soreness and your gums have begun to heal around them, you will want to know how to care for them. After all, dental implants are not anything like your natural teeth. They are a form of cosmetic dentistry that can help change your smile, but you do not care for them in the same way as your teeth.
Brush Them
Thankfully, you can still brush the dental implants. In fact, it is highly recommended that you do brush them, as well as the gums that hold them in place. Brushing keeps the gums healthy, which in turn prevents the bases of the implants from becoming obvious. It also keeps the rest of your natural teeth healthy.
Use Only Certain Mouthwashes
Your dentist will tell you which mouthwashes are safe for implants, and which to shy away from. Better still, you can ask your dentist for the mouthwash that he/she recommends. There is a good chance that he/she even sells the recommended mouthwash in the office! Then you can look for the mouthwash on store shelves, or just continue to buy it from your own dentist.
Avoid Certain Foods
Since you absolutely CANNOT bleach dental implants, it is important to avoid eating and drinking certain foods and beverages. Doing so will help you keep your dental implants their whitest. If you need to bleach your natural teeth to keep them the same color as the implants, you will need to have your dentist whiten the natural teeth. Teeth whitening is also a cosmetic procedure, but one which you may find you need as your natural teeth change shades with age, food or beverages but your implants remain whiter.
Do Not Use Teeth Whitening Kits from Retail Stores
You should never use a whitening kit from a retail store shelf when you have dental implants. Not only will they not have much effect on the implants, they can also damage the surface of the implants slightly. While safe for natural teeth, these whitening kits are not recommended for implants. Instead, consult with your dentist on how to whiten natural teeth, and/or avoid discoloring your teeth and implants altogether.
Definitely Floss
Because your implants are embedded in your gums and jaw bones, you need to keep the gums as healthy as possible. That means that you need to floss daily. This is especially important after surgery and as your implant sites continue to heal to prevent infection.
Share9 April 2018
The average dentist takes many client appointments each day and also deals with emergency situations on a regular basis. Dental emergencies are very common because people are likely to put off having tooth pain fixed until the pain becomes unbearable. Some people have anxiety about dental visits, and others are trying to avoid the expense of dental care. In either case, the end result is often a dental emergency. I have worked as a professional dental hygienist for many years and have seen all types of dental emergencies. I hope that this blog will help people identify potential emergencies before they become too serious and will allow people to know when to get help.
