Special Care for Your Dental Implants to Make Them Last Longer

Dentist Blog

If you recently got a dental implant, you probably do not wish to repeat the pain and expense it took to get it. For that case you are advised to take good care of them to benefit you for a longer time. Here are some tips:

Practice oral hygiene

You need to take care of your dental implants in the same way just like the other natural teeth. If you neglect your implants and stop looking after them, they will develop a coating, which if left untreated can lead to gum bleeding, infections and soreness. How long you will have your dental implants largely depends on how well you look after them. Your implants depend on the surrounding healthy tissues for support.

Use specialized brushes for dental implants

Some dental specialists do provide specially made brushes for cleaning your implants. Using normal brushes will make it difficult for you to thoroughly clean your implants. Their shape and design are made to give you easy accessibility and efficient cleaning of surfaces of your implants that are not easy to reach. Also, the thin shape of the brush head eases the cleaning even in narrow areas. Their soft end-rounded filaments also ensure mild cleaning.

Have regular maintenance appointments

You must schedule periodical follow-up visits to your dentist's office to have your implants re-examined and inspected. If any faults are discovered during the checkup, the dentist will arrange for making adjustments or replacements. Furthermore, your dentist can give you aftercare instructions on how you will look after your implants which you must follow to increase your dental implant's lifespan.

Think about what you eat

Your dentist recommends a specific kind of diet you have to strictly follow during the recovery process. The strain applied on the implant can deter its integration from the jaw. During recovery the area around the gum tissue becomes sensitive and is likely to easily get infected. That is why you have to avoid any foods that may damage the implant. Generally, stay away from hard foods, which include corn, dried foods and candies. Also stay away from chewy foods like salads, rolls and chewing gum because they may cause the implants to pull from the gum cavity.

Caring for your oral hygiene can be so tricky especially in the first two weeks. However, following the doctor's instructions can help you to a quick full recovery. No one ever wants to go through the dental surgery pain again. That is why your dental implants deserve utmost care for them to keep functioning effectively.  

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11 February 2016

Dental Health: Not To Be Taken For Granted

As a retired dentist, I work with charities which visit developing countries and educate children about dental care. It gives me great satisfaction to revisit these communities and see how proud the children are of their efforts. I am acutely aware that good dental hygiene can help prevent a range of serious conditions when these children become older. I started this blog because it greatly distresses me that many people in Australia do not seem to care for their teeth as much as children in these poor communities. This is happening despite ready access to items like toothbrushes and toothpaste which are luxuries in the places I visit. It is my hope that this blog encourages you not to take dental health for granted. My greatest wish is that you can be as inspired as the children I see in my charity work. Please read on and enjoy.