Dental implants can require a significant investment on your part. Thankfully, with proper care, this investment can easily last for many decades, if not your entire lifetime. To help protect your investment and keep your new teeth looking great for many years to come, be sure to always observe the following do's and don'ts when caring for your implants.

The Do's Of Caring For Dental Implants

Do continue to visit your dentist at least twice a year. While your implants and dental crowns may not fall victim to enamel erosion or cavities like your natural teeth can, the strength of your implants will still rely heavily upon the health of your gums and surrounding tissue. This is why it is so important that any oral health problems, such as gum disease, are diagnosed and treated in their earliest stages. Visiting your dentist on a regular basis is the best way to accomplish this goal.

Do avoid the use of tobacco. Smoking or chewing tobacco is one of the main causes of implant failure. If you are currently a smoker, do your best to quit smoking or at least reduce your tobacco consumption. If you find that you are struggling with this process, your dentist or primary physician may be able to prescribe medication to help ease the withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting.

The Don'ts Of Caring For Dental Implants

Don't use your teeth for anything other than chewing food. While many people use their teeth to rip open package or loosen a tight bottle cap, taking these actions with dental implants can cause your implant to break or the crown covering your implant to pop off. This is because, while dental implants are very resistant to damage when encountering the vertical force that is applied while chewing food, these implants are not nearly as strong when encountering the force that is applied by a twisting motion such as that used when ripping open a package.

Don't forget to brush and floss twice a day. Even though your implants cannot become stained or decayed, they can be damaged by a buildup of plaque and bacteria. Consequently, it is extremely important that you continue to brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day, even if you have no natural teeth remaining.

In Conclusion

The way you care for your dental implants will greatly impact on how long these implants last. For more information on how to properly care for your implants, be sure to consult a reputable dentist in your local area or visit websites like http://www.couchmandental.com.

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