Dental implants are considered the gold standard for replacing missing teeth—this incredible solution is capable of restoring your lost pearly whites in terms of look, feel, and functionality. And better yet, they can last for virtually a lifetime with proper care. However, brushing your dental implants simply isn’t enough; you must also floss them diligently in order to preserve them! Here’s more about why flossing your dental implants in Panama City is so important along with some tips to help you out.
Why You Need to Floss Your Dental Implants
When most people think about their oral hygiene, brushing their pearly whites is the first thing that comes to mind—and sadly, many people don’t take flossing quite as seriously! In fact, some surveys show that up to 80% of people don’t floss regularly! But flossing isn’t optional and yields countless benefits for your oral health, especially if you have dental implants or some other type of dental restoration.
Brushing is effective and worthwhile, but it still only cleans roughly 60% of your teeth’s total surface area, meaning that a lot of food debris and bacteria is left remaining! However, the act of flossing allows you to reach those hard-to-access spaces inside of your mouth that you can’t reach with your brush. This greatly reduces the risk of you developing a serious oral health issue resulting from tooth decay, gum disease, or other untreated problems—all of which can threaten your implants!
But flossing also plays another viral role in assisting your dental implants. Your natural teeth and gums are connected via the periodontal ligament; but dental implants are surgically implanted into your jawbone and aren’t connected to this ligament. Instead, they rely on a special peri-implant seal to remain attached to your gums.
Unfortunately, this seal lacks the nerve network that your periodontal ligament has, meaning that it can’t signal your brain if it breaks! And once it breaks, the floodgates are open for bacteria to invade your jawbone and begin causing serious issues including implant failure. Needless to say, flossing regularly can easily prevent this seal from becoming compromised!
Helpful Tips for Flossing Your Implants
Upon receiving dental implants, your dentist will demonstrate how to properly brush, floss, and care for them. But beyond that, proper aftercare falls entirely on you! Here are some flossing practices you can use to ensure that you’re effectively cleaning your implants:
- Remove a long strand of floss (about 18cm) and wrap the ends around your fingers, leaving a few centimeters to work with.
- Never push the floss down into the gum pocket! Instead, gently slide the floss between each tooth.
- Use a “C” motion to thoroughly clean around the base of each tooth—do not use a sawing motion.
- Move the dental floss between your fingers to reveal a clean section and move on to the next tooth.
- If you fear that you can’t floss without disturbing the peri-implant seal, contact your dentist for assistance.
To put it shortly, your dental implants will likely fail if you yourself fail to floss them! That said, knowing how to properly floss with implants and implementing these tips will guarantee that your new pearly whites are brilliant and healthy for the foreseeable future.
About the Practice
The team at Baldwin Family Dental is proud to serve the dental needs of Panama City under the leadership of three skilled specialists: Dr. A. Faris Waheed, Dr. Amanda M. Panousis, and Dr. Alan Diep. Their practice is pleased to offer a wide range of services including dental implants. If you have any questions about dental implants or would like to arrange a visit, feel free to contact the practice online or over the phone for assistance: (850) 215-0128.