Brushing Your Teeth and Dental Implants

Getting back into the habit of regular oral health care.

It is not unusual to see some patients who visit our Derby dental implant centre and looking to have implants placed to replace missing teeth, who have neglected brushing some areas of their teeth for some time.

Where a tooth, or a number of teeth have been lost, their logic may be that, because there are no teeth in that part of the mouth, then why brush there? Of course, there is the argument that gum disease may still occur, but, to those who are less aware of this, it may seems logical not to brush where teeth simply don’t exist.

Habits

As we know, any long held habits can be hard to break, but once a patient has had dental implants placed, it is essential that this particular habit is changed. Whilst the dental implants themselves are highly durable and will not suffer from a lack of cleaning, the gum and bone in the area of the implant certainly can.

If brushing is neglected, gum disease can occur and the bone that the implant has been placed into, can deteriorate and threaten the survival of the implant itself.

How to clean

Having become accustomed to not brushing, it can feel strange, at first, when you start to brush around your new implants. This is to be expected but patients need not worry.

The fact is that, once fully integrated with the bone, dental implants are held securely in place and won’t be damaged or dislodged by even firm brushing of the teeth. Whether your personal preference is a standard toothbrush or an electric one, make sure that you change the brush or the heads approximately every three months so that it remains effective at removing plaque.

Whilst the implants are held firmly in place, it is still advisable not to brush too hard. Whilst it may not affect the implants, it can cause erosion of the enamel on your natural teeth which can leave them more susceptible to decay. Your gums can also be adversely affected too.

Flossing

Whether you flossed prior to having your implants fitted by Darren Bywater or not, now would be a good time to start.

Bacteria that can lead to gum disease is found in the hard to reach areas between the teeth. Whilst some toothbrushes are better than others are reaching these areas, dental floss is by far the best way to remove the bacteria and any small particles of food that have become trapped there. If you find that flossing is difficult, we are happy to show you how to do it effectively or to suggest alternatives that may work for you; for example inter-dental brushes.

For more information about implant care, please call the Darren Bywater Dental Implant Centre on 01332 550926.

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