How to Floss Around Your Dental Implants

Dental implants are an excellent solution for patients missing some or all their teeth. They’re the most permanent method of tooth replacement, restoring the ability to bite, chew, speak, and smile with complete confidence once again. Your new smile can last for decades or even a lifetime, but only if you take proper care of them. Brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing daily are crucial practices to extend the longevity of your implants. With that in mind, here are a few tips from your implant dentist in Leesburg about flossing with dental implants.

The Importance of Practicing Good Oral Hygiene

Some people believe since dental implants are artificial, they don’t require the same care and maintenance as natural teeth. However, that’s far from true. Implants are still at risk of issues like gum disease, an infection triggered by plaque buildup.

It can infect the underlying bone and cause it to deteriorate, resulting in loose implants and even implant failure. To prevent this from happening, you must brush and floss regularly to eliminate plaque, bacteria, and other debris from your implants.

Why You Need to Floss Carefully with Dental Implants

While flossing natural teeth, you’re able to push the string against the gum pocket without damaging your gums. That’s because the gums adhere strongly to the tooth via the ligament, which also contains nerves that will signal to you if you push too hard in the form of pain.

Unfortunately, gums are not attached to dental implants via this periodontal ligament. As a result, you can break it easily, causing bacteria to enter the gum pocket and access the jawbone. That can ultimately lead to dental implant failure.

How to Floss Around Your Dental Implants

To protect your new smile, you must floss carefully around your dental implants with the help of a floss threader. It’s a small handheld device with a loop on one end and a stiff flat edge on the other. Here’s a step-by-step on how to use it:

• Cut off about 18 inches of dental floss and thread it through the loop.
• Gently work the sharper end between the gums and bridge from the cheek side toward the tongue.
• Once through the tongue side, hold one end of the floss and pull the floss threader away with the other until the floss is underneath the bridge.
• Loop each end of the floss around your fingers on each hand. Work the floss up and down the sides of the nearest tooth or implant.
• Release one hand from the floss and pull it out from beneath the bridge.
• Rethread it in the threader and move on to the next section of the bridge.

Your dental implants can many years if you keep them free of plaque. By following the tips on flossing with dental implants outlined above, you maximize the lifespan of your new smile!

About the Author

Dr. Giannina McBryde is a native of Peru and has been working hard for the smiles of her patients in America for two decades. To stay current on developments in the dental field, she has attended continuing education programs in four countries: America, Peru, Brazil, and Scotland. If you are interested in dental implants, Dr. McBryde can replace one tooth or all of them to give you a lasting option that looks great. To get started, schedule a consultation on her website or by calling (703) 782-5171.