Many dental professionals recommend using a manual toothbrush during the first few weeks after implant placement. This practice can help prevent irritation of sensitive tissues during the healing process. Once the area is healed, an electric toothbrush is an excellent choice for routine home cleaning.
You can always ask your oral surgeon for more specific guidance, but in most cases, after the patient has healed fully from dental implant placement, the use of an electric toothbrush is perfectly safe for your implants.
It is also helpful for people with implants or braces. These must be cleaned in all their niches exceptionally well and the best, safest and easiest way is with a sonic toothbrush, particularly with a Curaprox Hydrosonic.»
An interdental brush can reach areas of your implants that a regular brush may not be able to reach. Be sure only to use a nylon interdental brush to not scratch your implants.
Make sure you're using a non-abrasive toothpaste and soft or extra-soft toothbrush, as harsh products could be too rough on your gums and restorations. Gently brush your implant restorations the same way you do your other teeth and then brush along the gumlines where plaque tends to be heaviest.
Use toothpaste that lacks abrasive ingredients such as baking soda or stain-remover agents, since these ingredients may wear on acrylic and remove glaze from porcelain implants. Look for toothpaste specifically made for use on dental implants, or ask your dentist for toothpaste recommendations.
Use a soft-bristled toothbrush
Hard-bristled toothbrushes should always be avoided. They can damage the enamel on your teeth and are particularly bad for dental implants. Toothbrushes with hard bristles easily scratch the surface of implants, thus causing irreversible damage.
Electric toothbrushes are often recommended for improved dental hygiene. Brushing with an electric toothbrush is a quick and easy way to help keep your teeth and gums clean and healthy. But they're more expensive than a regular toothbrush. And the replacement brush heads can be pricey too.
Do's for Dental Implant Care
DO choose a low-abrasive, tartar-control toothpaste. Using a normal OTC toothpaste containing fluoride is OK. There is no need to choose a special type of toothpaste, but look for the ADA Seal of Approval to find the ideal options. DO use a Waterpik flosser.
Non-abrasive, tartar control toothpaste is best suited to care for the surface of the implant. Avoid toothpaste with baking soda, too much fluoride, and those designed for smokers. Cleaning between teeth is particularly important, so flossing once or twice daily is a key step to proper care of dental implants.
Keeping your dental implant clean
For two weeks after having your implant fitted, you must rinse the area with antiseptic mouthwash (which your dentist can recommend to you) morning and night for one minute. You'll also need to rinse your mouth with warm salt water after every meal.
Once calculus has established itself, this deposit cannot be brushed or flossed off and can only be removed by a dental hygienist. Failure to do this can lead to receding gum tissue and bone loss and may result in the implant falling out.
Since dental implants mimic the natural function of teeth, you don't have to worry about your teeth slipping or falling out — allowing you to bite and chew as though you had a full set of natural teeth.
Dentists agree that overall, electric toothbrushes are superior to manual ones. "Because electric brushes have a rotation, they essentially force the toothpaste in more difficult-to-reach areas, which is where cavities start," says Dr. Creaven.
Brushing too often or too hard.
Brushing too much can wear down tooth enamel and hurt your gums. You may also hurt your gums if you use too much pressure or a hard-bristled brush. Guide the brush on its path and let the bristles do the work.
Patients with dental implants should floss their teeth at least once daily. It is best to do so before brushing because removing plaque from between your teeth will allow the fluoride in your toothpaste to be as effective as possible.
Gum recession is one of the most known complications in implant dentistry, which leads to both aesthetic and functional issues. It is often because of poorly positioned dental implants with extreme inclination or tilt or insufficient bone and gum tissue.
Keeping your mouth clean after surgery is essential to reduce the risk of infection. Start rinsing your mouth with warm salt water (1/2 tsp. salt with 1 cup water) every 2-3 hours. Continue this for several days, then rinse 3-4 times a day for the next 2 weeks.
Visit the Dentist Every Three Months
A quarterly visit for routine maintenance and cleaning of your implants and dentures is a must. The visit can be as routine as scaling and cleaning or as thorough as removing the permanently attached dentures for a deep cleaning of the implant roots, depending on plaque buildup.
Regular rinsing is one of the most important aspects of healing dental implants. Rinsing helps to control the accumulation of bacteria, subsequently reducing the risk of infection. Patients must rinse the mouth once or twice a day with a dentist-approved mouthwash or a saltwater solution.
The daily care of dental implants is very similar to the care of natural teeth. Restored dental implants should be kept clean and plaque free twice a day using a brush and floss. Cleaning is especially important after meals. This is accomplished by gently brushing, giving special attention to all sides of the implant.
The surfaces that keep the implant in place are microscopically roughened, which also makes them difficult to clean. It can be challenging to clean dental implants, but studies have shown their rate of success is still quite high.