Millions of people, including many in Phoenix and Scottsdale, have made the choice to get dental implants to fill in the gaps that missing teeth leave behind. Being a long-term solution that can improve one’s smile and ability to safely chew, it’s easy to see why these are so popular. While implants may not be real teeth, it’s still important to take care of them. To help with this, some of the top tips for excellent care are below.

1. Choose a Good Toothbrush

A great toothbrush can make all the difference with how clean your teeth get with each brush. It can also help keep your gums, including those around your implant, as healthy as possible. Interdental toothbrushes, in particular, are great for cleaning around dental implants.

2. Continue to Floss

Flossing is one of the best things you can do for your teeth and is still a necessity with dental implants. If you avoid doing so, you could do damage to your natural teeth and gums while increasing your chance of dental implant failure due to periodontal disease.

3. Avoid Certain Foods

Be careful with what you eat, especially when it comes to extremely hard or sticky foods. These can break your natural teeth but they can also do harm to the structure of the implant. If you’re presented with some sticky caramel or hard toffee, you may want to avoid just to minimize the risk of damage.

4. Reduce Sugar Intake

Eating large amounts of sugar can increase plaque buildup around your gums. While your dental implant won’t decay from this, plaque can still lead to gum disease around that area and the rest of your mouth.

5. Avoid Smoking and Drinking

Smoking and drinking can increase the amount of time it takes for your mouth to heal after your dental implant has been placed. Both can also weaken your bone structure and lead to other issues with your teeth.

6. Visit Your Dentist

Dentists want to see you to make sure your teeth are healthy. Just because you have an implant doesn’t mean you should take more time in between appointments. Continue to visit as often as is recommended.

7. Brush Daily

Brushing your teeth twice a day is still important. While your dental implant is strong and resilient, your other teeth need to be cleaned regularly. Brushing regularly also helps reduce plaque, which is crucial to your overall oral health.

If you’re interested in dental implants in Phoenix or Scottsdale, give our office a call for a personal consultation. We have two convenient dental offices in Downtown  Phoenix and Scottsdale AZ