Dental Implant Care Tips for Great Results
Numerous situations may necessitate dental implants. For example, you may have lost a tooth due to an accident or injury. Or, you may have a severely decayed tooth that you can’t save. With these and other cases, your dentist may recommend a dental implant to replace the missing or damaged tooth.
However, the quality of your dental implant procedure results will significantly depend on how well you care for your teeth and gums after the surgery. Discover some dental implant aftercare tips to help ensure that you get the best results from your dental implant procedure.
Follow a Soft Food Diet
After your dental implant procedure, your gums will be tender and may bleed easily. Additionally, the implants will need some time to heal and fuse with the jawbone. For these reasons, avoid hard and hot foods that irritate your gums and cause bleeding.
Instead, stick to soft foods like mashed potatoes, smoothies, eggs, yogurt, and cooked vegetables. Drink as much cold water as possible to keep yourself hydrated and alleviate discomfort.
Keep Your Mouth Clean
After dental implant placement, you must be more intentional about your dental hygiene than ever. Otherwise, you run the risk of developing infections or other complications.
Use a soft nylon toothbrush to brush your teeth gently. Do not brush too hard, as this can irritate your gums. In addition to brushing, floss to remove any food particles and plaque between your teeth.
Be watchful of the type of mouthwash you use during the recovery period. A saltwater rinse is an excellent option to keep the area clean and acts as an antiseptic. Avoid using alcohol-based mouthwash, as this can irritate your gums.
Quit Smoking
Smoking can slow down dental implant healing and increase your risk of infection. Smoking may also lead to other complications, such as bone loss around the implant site.
So, if you want your dental implants to heal quickly and successfully, avoid tobacco. Talk to your dentist about ways to help you quit smoking for good. Your dentist will also advise you on how much time you should avoid smoking and what other substances you should quit, such as alcohol and carbonated drinks.
Get Adequate Rest
Your body needs adequate rest time to heal after any surgery. And this case is no exception. Get enough sleep at night to speed up the healing process. You may get someone to help you around the house until your body regains enough energy to return to your daily routine. With this, you can get to bed early and sleep soundly, knowing that someone has all your chores covered.
Manage Your Pain
You will experience some pain and discomfort after your implant surgery. But the discomfort is perfectly normal. To help manage the pain, take over-the-counter medication such as ibuprofen. But before you use any drug, consult your doctor first to ensure it is safe for you to take. Additionally, apply ice on your cheeks to help reduce the swelling.
Get Follow-Up Appointments
These appointments are essential, as they help monitor the healing process and rule out complications. The checkups are also a great chance to raise any concerns about your implants.
In addition, your dentist will offer more dental implant aftercare tips during these appointments. The dental health specialist will pinpoint areas you need to improve or habits you may need to give up on until you are healed.
You can trust us at Smiles By Hogan for quality dental implant treatment. We have a team of highly skilled and experienced dentists to ensure a successful procedure. We will also walk with you through the recovery journey. So, contact us to book an appointment.
