Losing a tooth won’t just leave you with a gap in your teeth that ruins your beautiful smile, it will also expose you to serious oral problems, such as a receding jawbone, loose teeth, gum infection, and others. That’s why you should replace your missing tooth immediately. Thankfully, you can now replace your missing tooth permanently with a dental implant.
But the success of your dental implants largely depends on how you take care of them after the surgery. This article tells you the three things you must avoid after dental implant surgery.
An Electric Toothbrush and a Water Flosser
Although your dentist may advise you to regularly use an electric toothbrush and a water flosser for your daily oral sanitation, you should stay away from them for a few days after getting dental implants because they can easily damage the surgical site. For a few days after getting dental implants, brush your teeth gently using a soft, hand-held brush. A handheld toothbrush is easy to control, especially in terms of speed and pressure on your teeth. Your dentist should advise you on the best time to start using an electric toothbrush and water flosser.
Mouthwash
You shouldn’t use mouthwash for at least three weeks after getting dental implants because it may aggravate the surgical site. Instead, you should rinse your mouth with salt water or any other prescription that your dentist will give you. When you are mixing salt and water, use a ratio of 1:3. Just add one part of salt to three parts of water. During the healing period, you should also avoid swishing vigorously or spitting because the surgical site is still very brittle.
Certain Foods, Drinks, and Tobacco
After getting dental implants, your dentist will advise you to stay away from hard, crunch foods for a while to help your surgical wounds heal properly. You should also avoid sticky and chewy foods until your wounds are healed completely. Also, don’t take anything acidic, spicy, hot, or warm for a few days after a dental implant surgery because they can easily cause bleeding.
You should avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and coffee for a few days to allow your wounds to heal. Research has shown that these substances can constrict your blood vessels, slow down blood vessel formation, and cause excess bleeding. If your blood vessels are constricted or experience slowed formation, your implants will not integrate properly with your jawbone and will eventually fall off.
