You may have heard that practicing excellent oral hygiene is essential after replacing your missing teeth with dental implants. But why exactly is this? Can dental implants get cavities like real teeth if you don’t take good care of them? Or are there other issues you need to be concerned about? Here’s a quick overview of what you need to know if you want to protect your rebuilt smile.
Dental Implants and Cavities
The good news is that it is actually impossible for dental implants to get cavities. This is thanks to the fact that, unlike your natural teeth, dental implant posts are not made of enamel; they are typically composed of titanium, which is a highly durable metal that is not susceptible to the bacteria that cause tooth decay.
That said, even if dental implants can’t get cavities, the natural teeth around them still can. As such, if plaque and tartar are allowed to build up on your dental implants, they could increase the risk of decay in neighboring teeth.
Dental Implants and Gum Disease
Cavities may not be a concern for dental implants, but gum disease certainly is. This condition is an infection of the gum tissue that grows more severe over time. Untreated gum disease is a leading cause of dental implant failure; the infection can weaken the gums and the underlying jawbone until they can no longer support the implant posts. Thus, if you want to keep your dental implants for as long as possible, you need to keep them clean in order to minimize your risk for gum disease.
Taking Care of Dental Implants
Caring for dental implants is not dissimilar to taking care of your natural teeth. You need to thoroughly brush your dental implants as well as the area around them at least twice a day. On top of that, you should get in the habit of flossing daily to remove plaque and tartar from the hard-to-reach spots around your dental implants that can’t be cleaned with a toothbrush.
Of course, you should also make a point of visiting your dentist twice a year for routine checkups and cleanings. They’ll be able to look for warning signs of gum disease so that the problem can be dealt with long before it can put your dental implants at risk. They can also make sure that the implants themselves are still in good condition and let you know if there are any issues developing.
In short, while dental implants cannot get cavities, good oral hygiene is still essential for protecting your implant posts as well as the overall health of your smile. Think carefully about the care you give your dental implants every day and consider whether there is any room for improvement.
About the Practice
At Oak Ridge Dental, our dentists strive to make getting the dental care you deserve as stress-free as possible. Thanks to our comprehensive menu of dental services, we’ve been able to help many patients in San Ramon improve their smiles. We offer in-house dental implant placement for individuals who are missing any number of teeth. If you are interested in scheduling a dental implant consultation with our team, you can visit our website, use our online scheduling tool, or call (925) 735-6190.
