Dental implants feel natural and, with proper care, can last up to 20 years. And thus, they are a good replacement option for people with missing teeth. However, most people, especially first-timers, find it challenging to take good care of them. Here are tips for taking good care of your dental implants.

Brush Twice a Day

You should brush your teeth at least twice a day, with or without dental implants. The fact that dental implants are not susceptible to decay doesn't mean that you can get away with not brushing your teeth. If you don't brush your teeth, plaque will affect adjacent teeth, resulting in gum disease around the dental implant. This can weaken the implant, forcing you to replace it. 

Ensure that use a soft toothbrush with micropulse bristles or an electric one to brush your dental implants. Your toothbrush should also have a narrow head to reach the crevices around your implant. And within the first two weeks after installation, you should rinse your mouth with mild salty water on a daily basis or as frequently as needed, and avoid mouth wash and hydrogen peroxide rinse.

Floss Daily 

When you have dental implants, you should floss your teeth to stop plaque formation, which can lead to gum diseases. Dentists advise that you always carry floss around to use after daytime food. 

Avoid Abrasive Toothpaste

Abrasive toothpaste can wear the surface of your implants out. And so, you should use a gentle toothpaste and be gentle when brushing just as advised by your dentist. Avoid toothpaste with high contents of calcium carbonate, silicates, magnesium carbonate, and phosphate salts because they can wear your dental implants.   

Avoid Smoking

After your dental implant placement, you should avoid smoking of any kind. Smoking usually affects blood flow to tissues around a dental implant. This is the reason why dental implants are likely to fail in smokers. Smoking will also affect the healing process after the dental implant installation.

Avoid Hard or Sticky Food

Dental implants are as strong as natural teeth, and so you can eat as usual with them. However, before they heal, avoid hard and sticky food to protect them from damage. 

Visit a Dentist

After the surgery, you should visit your dental doctor after three weeks to examine the healing process.  And after you have healed, you should go for checkups and cleaning at least twice a year. 

Dental implants are strong, natural in feeling, and durable, making them one of the best discoveries in cosmetic dentistry. If you have installed them, the above pro tips will help you take care of your dental implants.