While the rejection rate for dental implants is very low (dental implants have a 98 percent success rate), caring for your restorations can help you have a beautiful and secure smile for life [1]!

Brush Gently But Thoroughly

You still need to brush your dental implants just as you would your natural teeth. Brush gently yet thoroughly, and use a soft-bristled toothbrush for best results [2].

Brush underneath and around your dental crown—it may be difficult for your toothbrush to properly reach these areas, so ensure your toothbrush is the right size to gently clean these spaces. You can use a manual or electric toothbrush, just be sure to choose a softer brush head!

Choose the Right Toothpaste

It’s important to not use a toothpaste that’s too abrasive when it comes to your dental implants. While a bit of abrasive material can help properly clean your teeth and remove surface stains, too much abrasion can damage your dental crown over time.

How can you select the right toothpaste? It’s best to avoid toothpastes that are advertised as being “whitening” or have whitening agents in them—these can be too abrasive for your dental implant. Ask your dentist for specific recommendations for toothpaste if you have questions!

Be Cautious When Flossing

Flossing around your dental implant is an essential part of your oral care routine, but it’s crucial to be gentle. You won’t be able to floss around your dental implant as you would around your natural teeth. Flossing too aggressively can contribute to peri-implantitis, a condition in which the gum and bone tissue become inflamed around your dental implant.

Don’t floss too far underneath the gumline: instead, floss gently on either side of your dental crown. Your dentist can demonstrate exactly how to floss around your dental implant, and may recommend a water flosser for best results [3].

Visit Your Dentist

Your dentist is your partner in helping to keep your dental implant as healthy as possible for life. With the right care, your dental implant will last a lifetime, although your dental crown will eventually need to be replaced. By scheduling regular appointments with your dentist for checkups and cleanings, you can help your smile stay bright and healthy for many years to come.

If you have any questions about taking care of your dental implants, don’t hesitate to reach out to your dentist for assistance. Your dental implant completes your smile and you want to take the best care of it possible, so keep your regular dental appointments and brush and floss daily!

Sources:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6212375/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4897104/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26261052

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But what happens when the healthy things we do for our bodies aren’t exactly healthy for our smiles? These four health trends have been touted as beneficial, but they could actually be hurting your teeth!

Lemon Water

Drinking lemon water, particularly in the morning, has become a popular practice. The idea is that you add the juice of about half a lemon to a glass of water and drink first thing in the morning to rev up digestion, detox the body, and even help with weight loss.

Despite the fact that these claims have little scientific evidence to back them up, there’s another problem with lemon water: it has an extremely low pH of just 2.25, meaning it’s very acidic [1].

In fact, this pH is even more acidic than most types of soda, which means that lemon water could be eroding your tooth enamel, leading to sensitive teeth and an increased risk for tooth decay.

Oil Pulling

Oil pulling is another practice that’s gained popularity. An ancient method of pulling toxins out of the oral cavity, this regimen requires that you swish sesame or coconut oil around in your mouth for 20 minutes upon waking every morning.

Not only does the American Dental Association not recommend oil pulling due to lack of evidence, but oil pulling requires that your brush your teeth after spitting the oil out [2]. As we know, tooth enamel is porous and brushing immediately after your teeth come into contact with food isn’t recommended.

Kombucha and Other Fermented Foods

Foods such as kimchi and kombucha are fermented and packed with probiotics, which are beneficial organisms that exist in food. Research is showing that probiotics play a much bigger role in our oral and bodily health than previously thought [3].

However, as a result of their fermented nature, these foods are also acidic, which can weaken tooth enamel and leave it vulnerable to damage. For example, kimchi, which is fermented vegetables, has a pH of around 4, which is lower than the neutral number of 7 on the pH scale [4]. You can still reap the probiotic benefits of these foods by drinking water after consuming them, and, of course, avoiding brushing your teeth until about one hour after consumption.

Charcoal Toothpaste

You may have seen black toothpaste at the store or advertised. For some people, the charcoal toothpaste trend has been in full swing for a few years now. Charcoal toothpaste is said to remove toxins from the mouth, naturally whiten teeth, and even help sensitive teeth.

Unfortunately, charcoal toothpaste is also known for being extremely abrasive. When used daily, charcoal can actually remove tooth enamel and lead to even more sensitive and discolored teeth [5]. Until more research is done, the efficacy of these products is still in question.

Have you heard of any of these health trends? Use caution when adopting practices without knowing how they can affect your body or your smile. Talking to your professional dentist can help you know what’s safe, and to take the best care of your teeth!

Sources:
1. https://www.ada.org/en/~/media/ADA/Public%20Programs/Files/JADA_The%20pH%20
2. https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/o/oil-pulling
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22632388
4. http://farmtotable.colostate.edu/prepare-ferment/kimchi.pdf
5. https://now.tufts.edu/articles/charcoal-and-white-teeth

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Know Before You Go

With cone beam technology, there’s no estimation involved as far as measurements go for your dental implants. Your dentist already knows the precise measurements needed—the thickness the dental implant needs to be, your bone quality, and the angle the dental implant will need to be inserted at. This information allows your dentist to perfectly place your dental implant. Knowing the best position for the dental implant before insertion means that there’s no risk for hitting a nerve and no estimating the best position for your dental implant. Your dentist can know and see all this will the cone beam imaging. The imaging is painless and only takes a few seconds. It allows your dentist to see your mouth in 3D and color! The dentist then uses this image with computer software to determine the precise measurements and construct your perfect dental implant, which will be inserted in the best possible position in your mouth.

Faster Healing Time

The cost for cone beam technology is reasonable, and in addition to this, the radiation is exposure is lower as well, therefore reducing your risk for any potential problems with this. The technology is easy to use for your dentist and best of all, you’ll have a faster healing time. When your dentist knows the exact placement of your dental implant before the surgery, this means they are able to make a smaller cut in your mouth because they already know where the dental implant is going and they won’t need to look around in your mouth because they’ve already seen everything on the CBCT scan. Your dental implant will be inserted into its proper position, and your healing time will be faster because you’ll only have had a minor incision in your mouth. The smaller incision combined with the accurate placement of the implant increase the chances of success with your dental implant, meaning there’s an even lower risk for rejection or infection if properly cared for.

With cone beam technology, your dentist will be able to assess the bone quality of your jaw, see all your roots, and be able to provide you with the perfect placement for your dental implant with very minimal risks. This new technology is changing the field of dentistry and helping to bring you better, more accurate care for a successful healthy smile!

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