3 Tips for Taking Care of Your Dental Implants

General dentistry, although for the most part involves easy and painless procedures, can still require a more invasive type of surgery. General dentistry, for example, can often require a tooth pulling and subsequent implants. Wholly three million people currently have implants and that number increases by roughly 500,000 each year.

Don’t be too worried about the actual implant procedure at your dentist’s office, however, as you’re job is to take care of your mouth after the implant. Here are a few things that you should keep in mind for post treatment dental care.

Avoiding Contact With the Implant

Even though the new implant is going to feel strange because it’s literally a new addition to your mouth, you need to do your best to avoid contact with that area of your mouth for a few days. Your mouth is already sensitive, but after surgery it’s even more so. Because the area around the implant could begin swelling and even bleeding, you should know that this is normal and even expected, so continue to avoid tampering with that side of your mouth in order to not disturb the healing process.

Don’t Wait Too Long to Get Back to Brushing

Although you shouldn’t be brushing and flossing immediately after your implant procedure, you should get right back into proper oral hygiene habits as soon as your mouth as fully healed. If you get into the bad habit of not brushing or flossing, which might’ve caused the need for your dental implant in the first place, you’ll be putting your entire mouth at risk. Let your mouth rest for a day or two after surgery, but then get right back into brushing and flossing every single day.

Avoid Damaging Foods and Beverages

Especially during the first few days, you should avoid the majority of food and drinks aside from soft meals like jello, pudding, and oatmeal. Water and milk are okay to drink, but be careful not to swish those liquids around in your mouth as that can delay the healing process as well. Obviously, you shouldn’t begin chomping on rock hard candy or rough foods, but it’s also important that you avoid overly hot liquids or meals. Try chewing on the other side of your mouth for a few days as well.

Taking care of your teeth is an essential part of life. Don’t worry if you’re in need of a dental implant or any other kind of general dentistry treatment, there is always time to get help and improve your oral hygiene. Contact Loudoun Dental Associates today for help.