Ensuring your implant lasts a long time
The success of your implants depends on your oral hygiene practices and regular visits to your hygienist and dentist. Professional cleaning should be done every three months.
It is extremely important for you to follow a daily programme of oral hygiene at home. While cleaning should be done as often as possible, the most important times are after breakfast in the morning and after your last meal in the evening. The following recommendations for cleaning around your implant abutments should be followed twice daily:
- Use a soft nylon bristle toothbrush, such as Oral-B, Butler, Reach, or Colgate Plus. Before using the brush, rinse the bristles in hot water to soften them.
- Brush with an anti-plaque white toothpaste.
- Floss around each implant at least twice a day with regular dental floss, super floss, nylon yarn, or a long strip of cotton gauze.
- Rinse for at least 15 seconds with an anti-plaque mouthwash.
- If you have an irrigation system, use an anti-plaque mouthwash and irrigate around each implant abutment at a slow speed. This type of irrigation system is highly recommended to remove the plaque under your gums, which harbours toxic bacteria. Rinsing out the toxins will lessen the chances of inflammation around the implant abutment.
- If you have an electric toothbrush, use it to clean the implant abutments, then apply Corsodyl, if instructed to do so.
- It is advisable to occasionally check the inserts for bacterial film by using a plaque-disclosing solution or tablet. Chewing one tablet will turn your saliva red, which you should then wash around your mouth. After about one minute, discharge the saliva and rinse your mouth with water. The bacterial film will have absorbed the disclosing solution and changed its colour. Gently brush areas that are discoloured in order to remove bacteria.
- Monitor yourself at home in order to detect early signs of inflammation, and contact your doctor if any problems arise.
These suggestions are intended to help you maintain healthy tissue and successful implants. It is your responsibility to practice good oral hygiene every day for the optimum health of your implants.
Have a look at the guide below from Curasept