Does Getting Dental Implants Have To Change Your Oral Hygiene Habits?

Dental implants are one of the sturdiest and longest-lasting methods of tooth replacement that dentists can offer. However, while other replacements are simply set on top of the gums and can be removed when needed, dental implants are put into your gums and are with you for life. Since that's the case, you might be wondering if special steps or techniques will be necessary once you have them to keep your oral hygiene in good shape. Here's what you need to know.

Standard of Care

You might be pleasantly surprised to learn that having dental implants doesn't require anything more for your oral hygiene maintenance care than what you're probably already doing.

Keeping your teeth clean and healthy requires flossing and brushing. Doing this pulls out bacteria, plaque, and food debris that can be harmful to your real teeth and your gums. Since dental implants are designed to be as similar to real teeth as possible, no changes are needed in order to take care of your teeth everyday. You simply floss between each tooth - including your implants - and brush.  However, there are also some benefits to having implants.

No Decay

Dental implants are made out of natural materials, like porcelain and titanium, but they're not made from living tissue. This means that unlike your real teeth, you don't need to worry about decay or developing cavities in your dental implants. So in reality, you're actually less likely to experience oral health issues while you have a dental implant than when you had a full mouth of natural, real teeth.

Gum Health

With that being said, even if you have a full set of replacement dental implants, that doesn't mean you can neglect your oral health.

When you have a build-up of plaque and bacteria in your mouth, it can quickly send you into gum disease. This dangerous condition can not only give you bleeding gums and a painful eating experience, but if left uncontrolled, it could ultimately leave your at risk for losing your dental implants. So keep up your regular dental hygiene maintenance, or if it's lacking, ask your dentist what you should do to improve so that your implants will be with you for many years to come.

Dental implants can actually help to improve your overall dental health, and they're very easy to take care of. Don't let concerns over your oral health maintenance keep you from getting dental implants.


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