2 Tips for Cleaning the Gaps Between Your Dental Implants

If you have recently received dental implants, you may be wondering whether or not there is any difference in the way that you are supposed to take care of them, including cleaning in between them. If so, you can start by using the tips below for cleaning the gaps between your implants. These tips will help you maintain proper gum health while ensuring that the implants stay intact.

1.  Avoid Pulling Up Between the Implants

One important part of making sure that your gums and teeth remain healthy is to floss your teeth. When you have dental implants, this should remain a part of your oral hygiene regimen. However, to keep your implants intact, you will need to change the way that you floss.

Ordinarily, you may floss by pulling the string straight up between the teeth once you are finished with each space. However, if you try to do this with implants, the combination of the floss snagging on the bottom of the implant and the pressure you use to pull the string may loosen the implant or even make it pop off.

Instead of ending the flossing technique by pulling up, simply pull straight out so that the floss glides along the surface of the gum. You may also want to ask your dentist about a special flossing tool that is designed specifically for implants.

2.  Use an Oral Irrigator After Flossing

Because food can easily become wedged in the spaces at the bottom edges of the implants, it is important to keep these areas clean, especially while your gums are still healing. While flossing does a great job at doing this, you may want to up your gameplan by adding an extra step to your flossing routine.

After you finish flossing your teeth, rinse the gaps with an oral irrigator that delivers water directly to the spaces using a gentle stream. If you were unable to see or completely remove any food, the stream should rinse it away from the spaces so that the food does not gather and become a breeding ground for bacteria.

Just as with your natural teeth, properly taking care of the spaces between your implants is important not only for your general oral health but also for keeping the implants in good condition. For more information about taking care of your dental implants or for recommendations for dental hygiene tools, speak with your dentist.