If you have recently invested in dental implants near you, you likely want to do everything possible to maintain your new restorations for as long as possible. In this blog post, our team at Albany Dental tells you all you need to know about maintaining your dental implants so you can enjoy a beautiful, healthy smile for a lifetime.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants near you are the only form of restorative dentistry that mimics the appearance and function of natural teeth. Dental implants have three main parts: a titanium implant post, an abutment, and a dental crown. The post is implanted into your jawbone to replace your tooth root, and the abutment connects the dental crown to this post to replace your actual missing tooth.
How Do You Maintain Your Dental Implants?
Once you have dental implants, you must know how to keep them in excellent condition. Here are some of our top tips for maintaining your dental restorations:
1. Avoid Hot Liquids
Most people enjoy a hot cup of coffee to get them going in the morning; however, drinking super hot coffee can prove harmful, especially if you have dental implants. Since dental implants retain heat, very hot liquids can burn your gums and lead to inflammation around the implant. So, be sure to blow on your coffee before taking a sip.
2. Practice Excellent Oral Hygiene
Maintaining an excellent oral hygiene routine when you have dental implants is more important than ever. Ensure that you brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day and that you floss each evening. Additionally, visiting our dental clinic in Edmonton at least once every six months for a professional dental cleaning and exam would be best.
3. Maintain a Well-Balanced Diet
An essential part of keeping your mouth healthy and your implants in good shape is maintaining a healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in sugary foods and beverages.
4. Quit Smoking
We already know that smoking is bad for our health, which also extends to oral health. Each cigarette contains chemicals that yellow your teeth and affect bone regeneration. Smoking regularly can lead to bone loss and gum deterioration. Additionally, smoking is an especially bad idea if you are still healing from your dental implant installation, as it can slow down your body’s natural healing process.
5. Avoid Hard Foods
While dental implants are strong, they may not be as strong as your natural teeth, so it is important to treat them with care. Our dentist near you recommends that you steer clear of very hard foods.
6. Don’t Use Your Teeth as Tools
Just as you shouldn’t chew on hard foods, you should also avoid using your teeth as tools to open packages, bottles, and more. Additionally, it would be best not to chew on hard objects such as your nails or the backs of pencils.
The Bottom Line
Dental implants are an excellent investment in your oral health. When you first get dental implants, our dentist in Edmonton will provide you with instructions for care. By following those instructions and the tips in this article, you can be sure to enjoy your new smile for a lifetime.