The implant is currently the only tooth restoration method that can restore the function and aesthetic value of a lost tooth to almost 100 percent.
Not only is it a modern and very effective solution, but contrary to popular belief, it requires just as much care in cleaning as a real tooth.
Dental implants available at NaturaDent can also mean a lifelong solution, but if the patient does not maintain proper oral hygiene and aftercare, there can be serious consequences.
Why do you need to take care of dental implants just like real teeth? How should these dental prostheses be cleaned in the first place? In this article, we have gathered all the important information on the topic!
Why is cleaning dental implants important?
As an implant is not like a natural tooth, meaning it cannot decay and ideally should not cause pain, as it is not directly part of the human body, many people think that its proper cleaning can also be neglected.
This problem is rarer when only one implant is placed in a dental arch, but it is surprisingly common with multiple implants. Whichever the case, we must always ensure proper oral hygiene is maintained.
A fundamental rule is that implants should be cleaned in exactly the same way as real teeth. This is because bacteria can easily adhere to the surface of artificial teeth and, in the long term, plaque and tartar can form.
Tartar rarely affects just a single tooth in the mouth, so it's common for it to spread from an implant to the remaining natural teeth, thereby initiating a kind of domino effect.
However, a bigger problem is that the adhering tartar and bacteria gradually penetrate beneath the gums, reaching the bone, which leads to unpleasant gingivitis.
In the early stages, it can be easily managed by eliminating the causes and restoring proper oral hygiene, but if the inflammation becomes chronic, the next stage will be periodontal disease, which negatively affects even the best implant.
This is because the artificial root slowly loses its grip – just like a natural tooth – so the implant then becomes loose and falls out of place.
The primary goal of regular oral care and cleaning is not only to maintain aesthetics but also to ensure that the implant lasts a lifetime and serves the patient.
How to clean a dental implant?
Now that we know why regular cleaning and aftercare of dental implants are so important, let's look at the most important precautions associated with them.
However, before we delve deeper into the subject, we deem it important to highlight that NaturaDent's highly skilled, degreed dental hygienists and dentists can always provide precise, tailor-made information regarding dental implant cleaning.
There are, in fact, cases where an implanted tooth requires more attention during cleaning, or necessitates special tools or care solutions due to the other elements of the dentition.
Regardless of the type of dental implant placed in the mouth, the following methods are very important for maintaining proper oral hygiene:
Correct and regular tooth brushing is the foundation of everything.
The first and most important thing to know about cleaning dental implants is regular brushing. The teeth should be cleaned at least twice a day, regardless of the proportion of natural teeth still present in the mouth.
The main point is that because of the implant, it's always recommended to choose a softer toothbrush with more bristles for brushing, as well as a toothpaste with absolutely no abrasive effect.
If the dental restoration has been made with a multi-part bridge, special attention must be paid to the undersides of the bridges and the free-standing elements. In such cases, it is advisable to clean using interdental brushes or an interdental and single-tufted toothbrush.
Cleaning and aftercare of a tooth implant
Use dental floss or an interdental brush
Maintaining proper oral hygiene isn't sufficient with just a traditional toothbrush. It is very important to also use accessories such as dental floss or interdental brushes.
The gaps between teeth are indeed sensitive points in the dental arch, and for the reasons mentioned above, great attention must also be paid to this with implants. Where the bristles of a toothbrush cannot reach, dental floss or interdental brushes can be very useful.
Using mouthwash is also essential.
However, it's important to note that using mouthwash on its own cannot replace brushing your teeth, but it can play a very important supplementary role in maintaining oral hygiene.
Its aim is to destroy harmful bacteria that remain in the mouth even after brushing or flossing. These pathogens negatively affect gum health and promote the formation of plaque and tartar. If possible, use an alcohol-free mouthwash, preferably with natural ingredients, e.g. tea tree oil mouthwash.
Let's pay attention to our eating habits
A dental implant and your natural teeth can both benefit from paying attention to our eating habits. Certain foods and drinks, for instance, can damage the implant itself or the crown attached to it.
These include excessively hard, sticky, or abrasive foods, as well as drinks that are highly acidic or have a high alcohol content. By avoiding these, we can do a great deal for our general oral hygiene, while also making it easier to clean our dental implants.
Don't forget regular dental check-ups.
Normally, you should see a dentist at least once a year for a general check-up, but with an implant, it is advisable to pay extra attention to this.
In addition to routine check-ups, it is advisable to have a professional dental cleaning at least once every six months, which allows for the expert removal of tartar. This can prevent the domino effect from occurring, as well as decay in healthy teeth.
Cleaning the implant in the days following the insertion
The useful advice written above naturally applies only to the period when the dental implant has already healed and can be loaded, meaning it functions exactly the same as a traditional tooth.
However, the question arises as to how to clean a freshly implanted implant, as oral hygiene should always be a high priority, making the hours and days following implantation critical from this perspective.
Let's look at the most important things to know about this!
The first 8-10 hours are critically important.
Following the implantation, the implant should be given particular attention during the first 8-10 hours. Not only should it not be subjected to any load, but even simple rinsing should be avoided, and it may even be necessary to restrict our lifestyle habits.
For example, it is absolutely not recommended to smoke for at least the first 8-10 hours, nor to consume alcohol, highly spiced foods, or fizzy drinks. If possible, it is advisable to give up these habits for several days.
Addictive habits can also hinder recovery. Smoking, for example, can introduce a great deal of toxic substances to a fresh surgical wound, while spicy foods and carbonated drinks can cause severe irritation.
During the first few days, you should be very careful about this - until the surgical wound has healed - as well as about eating and drinking anything too hot or too cold, and avoiding products with a high sugar content.
This doesn't seem like a significant compromise at first, but it also affects everyday habits like the temperature and sugar content of morning coffee or tea, or even ice cream consumption during the summer.
The fresh implant should not be cleaned with a toothbrush.
It can generally be stated that it is not recommended to clean the site of a freshly placed dental implant with either a conventional or electric toothbrush for a few days. The other teeth can, of course, be safely brushed with a conventional or electric toothbrush, and dental floss and interdental brushes can also be used, but the area of the implant placement itself should only be gently cleaned with a soft toothbrush with a high bristle count.
As rinsing the oral cavity is not recommended for the first 8-10 hours, it is advisable to postpone the first tooth brushing by this amount of time, carefully paying attention to the criteria described above.
Don't lick it with your tongue, don't chew on it or near it for a few days, and it's also not recommended to prod or touch it with your finger, as this can introduce a lot of unwanted bacteria to the fresh surgical wound.
In the beginning, only rinsing is an option.
As mentioned above, while you shouldn't rinse for 8-10 hours, the area of the recent implant can be cleaned in this way afterwards. You can only touch the surface with your regular toothbrush after complete healing, otherwise the chance of damage increases.
For rinsing, the dentist will prescribe or provide a special mouthwash for the first few days, and once this has run out, it is advisable to use lightly salted, lukewarm water instead, taking care to ensure the water temperature is not too hot – or too cold – as both should be avoided for a while.
In the first few days, only easily digestible, even pureed foods can be consumed.
Although it is only indirectly related to oral hygiene and the cleaning of dental implants, it is still essential to highlight that in the first few days following implantation, only easily digestible, even pureed foods are recommended. Chewing or biting down on hard foods is forbidden in the surgical area.
This is not just important for not overloading the implant, but also because it can reduce the chance of food debris that causes problems getting stuck between the teeth, which would be difficult to clean. The consumption of small-seeded foods should be avoided so that they do not lodge in the surgical area, causing inflammation.
After consuming light or puréed foods, a thorough rinse is sufficient, whether with mouthwash or lukewarm salt water, which is known to have natural disinfectant properties.
By applying these methods, we can do a lot to ensure that the implanted prosthesis heals as quickly as possible and can function as a fully developed tooth.
