One of the main things that draws people to dental implants is how natural they feel. While dentures and dental bridges are durable, the feeling of having a method of tooth replacement actually connected to your jaw is hard to beat. They feel so natural that it can almost seem like they’re an extension of your body.
Just like any part of your body, there are lifestyle choices you can make that can support the strength and durability of your dental implants. Here are a few of them you may want to keep in mind.
A Dental-Implant-Friendly Diet
As you may imagine, the health of your jawbone is vitally important to the overall durability of your dental implant. In that way, adopting a diet that can support bone health may be beneficial for it.
While there are a variety of nutrients that can support your bones, the two most vital are calcium and vitamin D. You can get a wealth of these from dairy products, as well as some kinds of fish and green vegetables.
Hygiene to Support Dental Implants
Just like your natural teeth, dental implants need daily care in the form of brushing and flossing. One of the biggest long-term threats to a dental implant is infection, and the best way to keep that at bay is to keep it clean.
While brushing will be essentially the same, there’s a trick to flossing a dental implant safely. Unlike your natural teeth, an artificial seal connects the dental implant to the gums. This artificial seal doesn’t contain any nerve endings, which means that you may break it without even realizing it. For that reason, you should take care not to push dental floss below the gum ridge when flossing around your dental implant.
Invest in a Mouthguard
If you originally lost your tooth due to an injury, especially if it was a sports injury, you may want to invest in a decent sportsguard so that this doesn’t happen again. While your dental implant is strong, it can still be damaged in an accident, so getting the right protective equipment will help you keep them safe in the long run.
About the Author
Dr. Andrea Csok’s greatest joy as a dentist is being able to help the patients to get the dream smile that they’ve always wanted. She knows that dentistry is about more than just teeth and gives her patients comprehensive dental care that supports their overall health. Dr. Csok received her dental degree from The Ohio State University College of Dentistry, and she maintains membership in the American Dental Association and the Ohio Dental Association.
If you have any questions about dental implants, she can be reached at her website or by phone at (216) 292-3600.