4 Tips To Help Prevent Infection After Dental Implant Surgery
Posted on: 19 January 2016
Getting dental implants is a great way to restore your smile and gives you the natural, beautiful look of having all of your teeth. However, dental implant surgery is rather invasive, the post for the implant must be drilled into your jaw with your gums cut away, and as such you are at risk for infection after your surgery if you don't care for your implants properly. However, there are a number of proactive measures you can take to ensure that your dental implants don't get infected after surgery.
Stop Using Tobacco Products
One surefire way to get an infection, which can then lead to your implants failing, is to use tobacco products after you have had dental implants. In one study, implant failures happened to twice as many smokers as non-smokers.
Both smoking tobacco and chewing tobacco can introduce bacteria into your mouth that can then get below the implant and flourish. In addition, smoking and chewing tobacco can prevent your body from healing properly after the implant surgery. Do your best to stop using tobacco products before your surgery so that it will be easier for you to abstain once you have your new teeth implanted.
Take Medications As Prescribed
Unfortunately, bacteria can be introduced into your mouth during the implant surgery or afterwards, and might thrive and turn into a bad infection. Due to this, your dentist will most likely prescribe you antibiotics to take post-surgery. This is usually done as a preventative measure. If you get antibiotics, be sure to take them daily and complete the course. Stopping halfway through your antibiotic course could cause any stowaway bacteria to flourish, and infection to begin.
Watch What You Eat
When you first have an implant placed, you want to avoid stressing the location. Physical stress on the implant site can cause pockets to form where bacteria can live and flourish. Eat soft foods following surgery and do your best to chew your food in a location where there are no implants.
Rinse With Saltwater
Rinsing with saltwater should help clear away bacteria, as well as help the wounds in your mouth heal more quickly. Ensure that you wait at least a day, and then begin using a saltwater rinse every evening. You should use the rinse after you have completed your standard oral hygiene routine of brushing your teeth.
Dental implant surgery can give you the smile you always wanted, but make sure that you take proper care of your mouth and health after the surgery to ensure that you don't suffer from an infection.
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