3 Things You Shouldn't Do When Taking Care Of Your Dental Implants
Posted on: 23 June 2016
If you are the proud owner of dental implants, you probably love the way that they improve your appearance. You may have also noticed that they make it easier for you to talk, smile, laugh and more. If you want to continue to enjoy them for a long time to come, it is essential to take proper care of them. However, if you aren't careful, you could actually risk damaging them while attempting to care for them if you don't know what you are doing. Just remember to avoid these three things if you want to take proper care of your dental implants.
1. Use Regular Floss
Flossing is generally considered to be a good thing, since it helps get rid of food particles and bacteria from in-between your teeth. However, regular dental floss can actually damage the tissue around the implant and can make it more likely to fail. Instead of using regular waxed floss, you'll want to use dental tape or a floss that is made specifically for use with implants. Another excellent option is to use a water flosser.
2. Use Abrasive Toothpaste
You may have seen those whitening toothpastes that contain baking soda and figured that they would be a good option for keeping your dental implant white. However, the baking soda is an abrasive ingredient, which can scratch your implant. You will want to look for a toothpaste that does not contain baking soda and does not contain any other abrasive properties. If you feel more comfortable, you can ask your dentist for an implant-specific toothpaste. You will also want to avoid any at-home remedies that you might hear about, such as brushing your teeth with baking soda.
3. Use a Vibrating Toothbrush
Each dental implant in your mouth is effectively "screwed in" to your gums. If you use a vibrating toothbrush, you have to worry about the vibration actually causing your implant to slowly become unscrewed. Instead, you will want to use a regular manual toothbrush with soft bristles to protect your implant while getting it nice and clean.
Taking care of your dental implants really isn't as hard as you might think, but it does require a bit of consideration until you get used to it. Luckily, if you avoid these three things and take any advice from your dentist, you should be able to take good care of your implants and prevent them from failing prematurely.
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