You wouldn’t buy a convertible and then leave the top down with a thunderstorm in the forecast – at least not without regretting it. Your dental implants are like that convertible. It’s not hyperbole to say that they are more valuable than a car in terms of their impact on your quality of life. It makes all the sense in the world that you would want to take good care of them, so they last many years. On that note, there are things you really want to refrain from doing to ensure their lifespan. Your dentist in St. Albans has tips about bad habits to avoid in order to protect your dental implants.
Smoking
If smoking is bad for natural teeth, it’s terrible for dental implants. It elevates your risk for gum disease, which would make it harder for your jawbone to grow and bind with the dental implant. Smokers are 2-3 times more likely to lose their dental implants.
Skipping Flossing
Dental implants can’t develop cavities, but you still need to brush them to protect the rest of your mouth from plaque. It’s the same for flossing, but even more crucial. Flossing removes food and plaque from around the gum line – including parts of the dental implant you can’t reach with a toothbrush. Because gum disease is the leading cause of dental implant failure, it’s vitally important to protect your gums.
Grinding Your Teeth or Clenching Your Jaw
When you grind your teeth or clench your jaw in your sleep, it’s called bruxism. This frequent extra pressure and abrasion can lead to a lot of issues, including damaging or loosening your dental implant. Your dentist can help you find out if you have bruxism and develop a custom mouthguard to keep your teeth safe.
Eating Too Much Sugar
Sugary snacks boost your chances of developing gum disease, which is the leading cause of tooth loss in America. Eventually, it can damage the jawbone and destroy the connective tissues that hold your natural teeth and dental implant in place. There are gum disease treatments available but cutting back on your sugar intake is a much simpler way to avoid disaster.
Chewing on Non-Foods
Nervous habits like chewing on ice, pens, or your fingernails must go. While dental implants are made from high-quality materials, they are not designed for chewing plastic, metal, or hard tissues like fingernails. Not only could you crack or chip your restoration, but you could also potentially damage the bones around the dental implant to put it at risk of failure.
As you can see, avoiding bad habits for dental implants puts you in a better position to be healthy overall. You can schedule a consultation with your implant dentist in St. Albans to discuss the premier tooth replacement option, and if you believe it is going to be difficult to stop any of these habits it would be important to mention it at that time.
About the Practice
At St. Albans Dental, you can always expect customized care in a comfortable atmosphere. Our dentists are experienced with advanced training and ready to help you with any oral health need. Our patients are the top priority, after all. If you are interested in dental implants, we can perform the entire procedure at our office location, and these lifelike restorations made from 100 percent dental porcelain will be customized for your unique smile. Your first step is to schedule a consultation on our website or by calling (802) 524-4844.