Good oral hygiene is critical to your overall health and wellness. Failing to embrace a proper teeth cleaning regimen can lead to both short and long-term dental issues. This is true even after an All-on-4 dental implant has been placed in your mouth. In fact, you may be tempted to assume that since you have implants, you can throw caution to the wind. However, this is far from the truth. All-on-4 dental implants need the same general daily care (brushing, flossing, rinsing) as your natural teeth. Continue reading to learn more.
All-on-4 Dental Implants: Daily Cleaning
Yes, you need to take care of All-on-4 Dental Implant regularly. There are a host of problems you will avoid by simply following this directive. Find out more in the following post:
If you do not make it your habit to do a regular mouth cleaning, the bacteria will breed and could have a destructive impact on your dental implants. Clean implant dentures will give you a lifetime service. Apart from failed dentures, failure to clean your dental implants can lead to the following oral problems.
- Pain under the denture
- Bad breath
- Pus in your gums and around the implants
- Bleeding while brushing your teeth
- Fever
- A constant bad taste in your mouth
- Wobbly or loose dental implants
- Gum swelling and throbbing pain
- Discoloration of the gum
- Inflammation under the dentures
- Per-implantitis
Are you experiencing any of these dental issues? Then you could be dealing with tooth replacement failure. If your implants are still intact, ensure that you keep them in good condition with proper cleaning.
The Right Tools For the Job
As you may imagine, there is a special way and specific tooth cleaning items you need to do an effective job. Here is a list of some of the most important ones that dentists recommend:
You’ll need the following dental tools for best take care of All-on-4 Dental Implant:
- An electric toothbrush. This is a wise investment because it is five times more effective in cleaning than a manual brush. Remember to use a nonabrasive toothpaste to protect the acrylic teeth on your dentures.
- A water pick. Fill the tank with ¼ mouth rinse and ¾ water. Use it after every meal to remove food debris.
- Super floss. Super floss (by Oral-B, for example) is ideal for cleaning the space between the gums and the denture. It comes with a plastic dental floss threader and both spongy and regular floss.
- A proxy brush. This is a small round toothbrush whose bristles can reach under the bridge more efficiently than a full-sized brush. Read more at Coastal Periodontics
You should also consider keeping soft picks on hand for cleaning those hard-to-reach places between the dentures and the gums.
How To Clean Your All-on-4 Dental Implant
Now that you appreciate the need to clean your implant and have the tools required, all that’s left is learning how to actually effectively cleanse your appliance. Here is a description of what needs to be done:
Ideal Protocol — 2-3 Times A Day
- Brush your teeth, gums and cheeks with a regular tooth brush or your Sonicare to remove bulky food.
- Use your Superfloss to get under the bridge’s underside.
- Now use your Waterpik® — filling the tank ¼ mouth rinse and ¾ water under the bridge, etc.
- Consider using a proxy brush or end tuft brush to get any other tough areas, especially where the bridge intersects your gums.
An electric toothbrush such as the Sonicare is a great investment. Their sonic vibrations as well as electric movement is 5 times more effective in cleaning than a manual toothbrush. They can be purchased at drug stores, online at Amazon, and many dentists sell them as well. Read more at Jaw Implant
Make sure to use an alcohol-free mouth rinse to swish your teeth. You’ll avoid a few negative effects on your implants this way. Also, even if you’re diligent about cleaning your implants every day, be sure to maintain regular appointments with your dentist for professional care.
No other tooth replacement method can match the bite strength, stability and lifelike appearance of dental implants. Schedule a free, no-obligation smile consultation with Dr. Robert Harrell at Harrell Dental Implant Center to learn which implant option is best for your needs. Call 704-206-1330 or use the contact form on our website to set your appointment. We look forward to meeting you.
