How to Keep Dental Implants Clean?

Dental implants are an effective approach for replacing missing teeth, offering a permanent alternative to dentures or bridges. Like natural teeth, dental implant care and maintenance preserve their functionality and appearance. Here, we review the essentials for keeping dental implants clean.

How Often Should Dental Implants Be Cleaned?

To keep your dental implants clean, you’d better look after them as frequently as natural teeth, which is ideally, brushing twice a day and flossing daily. Also, for professional cleanings and check-ups, it is important to visit your dentist to monitor the health of your implants and surrounding tissues. Dental implant maintenance in Phoenix, Arizona, is essential for their durability.

How to Keep Mouth Clean After Dental Implant?

Here’s how to keep dental implants clean effectively:

1. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and brush around the implant and the crown gently at least twice a day. This removes plaque and prevents the buildup of bacteria.
2. Use a floss designed specifically for implants, such as implant floss or water flossers, to clean around the abutments and under the implant crown. This removes food particles and plaque that brushing may not reach.
3. Choose a non-abrasive toothpaste. Abrasive toothpaste might scratch the surface of the implant crown, which makes it more susceptible to plaque accumulation.
4. If there is space, you might use interdental brushes to clean around the crown more effectively, especially around the sides and hard-to-reach areas.
5. Incorporate a non-alcoholic, antibacterial mouthwash into your daily oral hygiene routine. This type of mouthwash helps reduce bacteria around the implant and can prevent infection.
6. Smoking interfers with the healing process and increases the risk of implant failure.

Book your regular visits to your dentist for professional cleanings and to ensure your implants are in good condition. Your dentist can specify any issues early on and provide specialized care for your implants.

How to Clean Implant Crown?

Cleaning an implant crown appropriately is essential to maintain both the health of the implant and the surrounding tissues. Here is how you can effectively clean your implant crown:

• A soft-bristled toothbrush can gently clean the crown without scratching it. Electric toothbrushes are also a good choice.
• Use a low-abrasive toothpaste specifically designed for implants. Avoid toothpaste with baking soda, rough ingredients, or those designed for deep cleaning, which can scratch the surface of the crown.
• Finish your cleaning routine with a rinse using a non-alcoholic, antibacterial mouthwash to help reduce bacteria around the implant and in your mouth.

Do Dental Implants Need to Be Removed for Cleaning?

No, dental implants do not need to be removed to keep them clean. They are designed to integrate with your bones and act like natural teeth. The crown, abutment, and implant are securely attached, allowing you to clean them in your mouth without removal.

Professional Cleaning

Apart from home care, regular visits to the dentist are essential for keeping implants clean and healthy. Your dentist applies specialized tools to clean areas that are hard to reach with home dental care tools without removing the implants. َAlso, they can check for any signs of gum disease or implant loosening, threatening the stability and longevity of the implants.

As dental implants are not removed for cleaning offer several advantages:

• There’s no need for the additional steps and care routines required with removable prosthetics like dentures.
• Each removal and reinsertion of dental hardware can potentially weaken the structure or fit, so this risk is eliminated.
• Patients can clean their implants as part of their normal oral hygiene routine, providing a sense of normalcy and confidence similar to that provided by natural teeth.

What Mouthwash is Good for Implants?

Use a non-alcoholic, antibacterial, and Fluoride-based mouthwash to help keep dental implants clean. Alcohol causes dryness and decreases saliva, which is essential for washing away food particles. It can also increase the risk of bacterial growth around the implant site. Chlorhexidine or cetylpyridinium chloride can help reduce bacteria that might cause infections or implant failure, and fluoride can prevent decay of any remaining natural teeth and protect the implant crown from bacterial accumulation.

Professional Implant Cleansing in Phoenix, Arizona

Want to ensure that your dental implants last a lifetime? Visit Atrium Dental for expert care and guidance on maintaining them. Our team is here to help with professional cleanings and personalized advice tailored to your oral health needs. Schedule your appointment today!

Conclusion

Maintaining clean dental implants is crucial for their durability and the overall health of your mouth. With regular dental visits and proper care, your implants are maintained as a permanent, healthy solution for missing teeth. Remember to keep your dental implants clean as your natural teeth to preserve them in excellent condition for years to come.

FAQs

What dissolves plaque on dental implants?

Non-abrasive, tartar-control toothpaste can help dissolve plaque on dental implants. Interdental brushes and water flossers can also be effective.

What toothpaste is best for implants?

Non-abrasive, tartar-control toothpaste can help dissolve plaque on dental implants.

How do you clean under an implant?

Use a water flosser or an interdental brush that can reach and clean around the abutments and beneath the crown effectively.