Recent statistics reveal that three million Americans have dental implants. Further, that number is increasing by 500,000 annually. This means that every year, more and more Americans are learning about good maintenance for dental implants.
If you need a prosthetic tooth or a bridge, it is time to make a dental implant appointment. For a successful procedure, this requires proper care afterward.
Don’t fall victim to these maintenance mistakes! Keep reading to discover how to avoid them, so you can heal properly and enjoy your dental implant after your procedure.
1. Choosing the Wrong Implant Maintenance Routine
To ensure that the recovery process is speedy, you must practice good care following your dental implant procedure. Following your care instructions to a tee following dental implants is a way to prevent pain and infection. It’s not easy, so you need guidance from a dental implant specialist.
This includes using the right medication so that you do not delay the healing process. A dental implant specialist can tell you what to take and how often. They will also guide you on how to speed up the recovery process, including a diet plan to aid in healing.
The best maintenance routine is the one that a professional dentist will give you.
2. Forgetting To Take Medication
After a dental implant, your dentist will prescribe a few medications. You likely need to take them for a few days. This helps to prevent infection and relieve pain.
To benefit from the dentist’s medication, you must take them as per instructions. If you do not take your medication and risk an oral infection, your condition could worsen.
If you have any questions regarding the medications, make sure that you ask your dentist or a pharmacist. You do not need to guess. There are professionals available to help you.
3. Disturbing the Implant Area
After you complete your dental implant treatment, you must avoid disturbing the area. This includes touching it with your fingers and your tongue. To heal, the tissues around the dental implant area must stay intact.
Continually touching the dental implant area will slow the recovery process. In fact, a blood clot is forming in the area, and you dislodge it before it heals. This will cause bleeding.
Other activities that can irritate dental implants during the healing process include drinking with a straw and excessive rinsing. Irritating the area can cause bleeding. Per the dentist’s instructions, you can keep your recovery on track when you do not disturb the area.
4. Not Cleaning Your Dental Implants
Oral hygiene is a critical component of your overall health. Dental implants are not susceptible to decay like your real teeth are. However, they still need consistent cleaning.
Cleaning your dental implants removes food particles, bacteria, and plaque. You risk infection if you do not remove these items from your mouth. You want the site of the dental implant to heal, so you must keep it clean.
Continue to brush, floss, use mouthwash, and do anything else that your dentist asks you to do. Oral hygiene plays a vital role in your overall health.
5. Not Calling Your Dentist If Bleeding Persists
After a dental implant, there may be minor bleeding for the first three days. However, if you experience persistent bleeding, you could use gauze to stop it. If the bleeding does not stop, you must call your dentist.
Various conditions can cause this, leading to a much bigger health risk over time. The dentist will be able to advise you. They will guide you on the best course of action, including scheduling a check-up.
Do not assume that excessive bleeding is normal or that the bleeding will stop if you wait one more day. Get the help you need when you need it.
6. Smoking
Smoking causes inflammation and discoloration. This is common knowledge, but many people do not realize that there is a more negative impact of smoking than this. Nicotine will negatively affect your entire system.
If you smoke, it will slow the healing process. It lowers your immune system and contributes to gum disease. Smoking is not suitable for the maintenance of dental implants, and it is not healthy for you in general.
7. Consuming Harmful Food and Drink
It is essential to understand your limitations when eating with implants. Certain foods can cause damage to a dental implant. However, some foods can even damage your natural teeth.
This includes anything too hard, with a sticky consistency, and with extreme temperatures. Here are a few examples to help guide you about what food to avoid:
- Caramel
- Carrots
- Crouton
- Hard candies
- Gum
- Ice
- Tough steak
- Very hot beverages
While it may be okay for your diet, types of food and drink like these can damage your teeth. When you have a dental implant, avoid chewing any hard food with it.
Perform Proper Maintenance For Dental Implants
If you worry about pain and infections, rest easy. If you listen to your dentist’s instructions and follow these tips, you can avoid the pitfalls of making mistakes with maintenance for dental implants.
The experts at Brown & Neuwirth Oral & Cosmetic Surgery Center can help. When you make a dental implant appointment with their Board Certified oral surgeons, you get affordability, affability, and availability.
The professionals at Brown & Neuwirth desire that their patients live healthier lives. They are available seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day.
Don’t wait! Make an appointment with Brown & Neuwirth, and find your location now.