Hey! I'm Frankie, and welcome to my dental advice blog. I'm a foodie and I love sweet treats, but I also love my teeth! It can be hard to keep your dental health in top condition when you've got a sweet tooth, but it's not impossible. Over the years, I've learned tons of great advice from friends, family members and dentists, and I'd love to share it with you. My blog is here to give you all the tips and tricks you need to stay free of decay and other tooth problems without giving up all your favourite foods and snacks.
Dental implants are life-changing solutions for those with missing or broken teeth. Having one fitted can seriously improve your quality of life. Equally, they're quite easy to care for. If you already have good oral hygiene, chances are that your dental implant is in no real danger - and a good implant should last you a lifetime. But why exactly do dental implants need to be cleaned, if they aren't actually organic matter that can decay? What puts them at risk - and how do you offset that risk with your daily routine?
Look Out for Infection
Unlike ordinary teeth, which are solid bone all the way through and cushioned by a layer of tissue which connects directly to the root, implants are made up of several component parts. By large, these are the screw that fits into your gum, and the head - the part which gives the appearance of a tooth. However, therein lies the issue. If an infection sets in around an ordinary tooth, it may be uncomfortable, but you're unlikely to lose your tooth; it's still connected to that fibrous tissue by the root, and cannot be separated from itself. If infection sets in around an implant, not only can it swell up and separate these two component parts - but it also has direct access to the bone, with no fibrous tissue layer to protect it. This can result in serious bone damage. Not only can you lose your implant, but it may do permanent damage to your mouth.
So - How Can You Protect It?
As previously mentioned, good general oral hygiene should keep your implant nice and healthy, by and large. However, you can really secure the lifespan of your implant by taking extra care to guard your implant against infection. To begin with, make sure that you're using 'soft', non-scratching utensils to clean your implant. Many home-care dental kids contain metal implements for scraping plaque and suchlike away, but these are unsuitable for implants. Metal can scratch the surface of the implant head; if this happens, it creates crevasses for growths that may damage your implant or encourage infection. If you'd prefer, you can book appointments with a dentist or hygienist to have a deep clean conducted every now and then. This will ensure no build-up of harmful plaque and debris, and you'll know the right tools are being used for your implant.
No doubt you're already doing your best to keep your teeth clean - both the remaining 'natural' teeth, and your implanted ones. However, taking the extra care to maintain your implant will certainly pay off in the long run. It's far preferable to keep your implant healthy than to take the small risk of having it fail and be replaced - and a great deal more comfortable too. Plus, the extra cleanliness surely won't harm your other teeth!
Share21 June 2017
