How Do You Floss When You Have Dental Implants?
When it comes to maintaining your dental implants, flossing is a necessary step along with regular brushing and frequent visits to the dental office. However, many people don’t know the proper steps to take when flossing dental implants. All you need to do is follow these steps:
- Start out with about 16 to 18 inches of dental floss.
- Wrap the dental floss around your middle fingers, leaving about two inches between your hands to use to floss.
- Gently slide the floss up and down, rubbing alongside the dental implant and crown.
- Floss around the base of the teeth.
- Carefully work the floss up and out of your teeth.
- After each tooth, move to a clean area of the floss so you don’t spread food particles and bacteria to other areas in your mouth.
The most important thing to remember when flossing your implants is to be thorough, but gentle. This is because the gums are not adhered to your implant as strongly as they do to your natural teeth. If you push to hard, you could break the seal that adheres your gums and implant together – also known as the “peri-implant seal.” This will allow harmful bacteria to enter the gum pocket and cause damage.
Why Is Flossing So Important When You Have Dental Implants?
Dental implants are not susceptible to tooth decay, but this doesn’t mean that flossing isn’t important. Even though implants don’t decay, they can still develop plaque which can irritate and inflame the surrounding gum tissue. Your implants rely on healthy gums to be successful. If you develop periodontal disease, you could experience gum recession and even bone erosion. In the end, you are more likely to have a dental implant failure. Keeping up an excellent oral hygiene routine and seeing your dentist regularly is essential for optimal oral health.
By properly caring for your dental implants with regular brushing, flossing, and checkups, you will be able to reap their benefits for many years to come!
About the Practice
At Windermere Dentistry, you have two experienced dentists providing a wide array of services, including dental implants. Dr. Matthew McKissock earned his doctorate from the University of Florida’s College of Dentistry and is a Fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry. Dr. Rupal Thakkar earned her DMD from the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston and has been working in the field for over two decades. For more information on dental implants or to schedule an appointment, visit their website or call (407) 909-1099.
