Tips for Flossing with Dental Implants

Dental implants are in a tier of their own when it comes to replacing missing teeth! These awesome little implants can fully restore the look, feel, and functionality of your lost pearly whites—and can even last for decades with proper care! But one huge component of caring for your dental implants is flossing regularly! Here’s more from your dentist about the importance of flossing and how dental implants can influence the habit, along with some tips for doing it correctly.

The Importance of Flossing

The sad reality is that many people don’t take flossing as seriously as brushing their teeth—but flossing is actually just as important as brushing, especially if you have dental implants or some other type of dental restoration. It’s estimated that brushing your teeth cleans roughly 60% of your teeth’s total surface area—meaning that a lot of bacteria and food debris is left remaining. However, the act of flossing allows you to reach those hard-to-access spaces inside of your mouth that you can’t reach with your brush. This greatly reduces the risk of you developing a serious oral health concern resulting from tooth decay, gum disease, or other untreated problems.

How Dental Implants Impact Flossing

Your natural teeth and gums are connected via the periodontal ligament; however, dental implants work a little differently. Since they’re surgically implanted into your jawbone and aren’t connected to the periodontal ligament, they rely on a special peri-implant seal to remain attached to your gums. But since this seal lacks the nerve network that your periodontal ligament has, it’s unable to send your brain pain signals if it breaks. And if it breaks, bacteria have easy access to your jawbone and can begin wreaking havoc inside of your mouth, ultimately causing your implants to fail. This means that flossing isn’t just necessary, but also must be done correctly and delicately using the proper technique.

Tips for Flossing with Dental Implants

After receiving your dental implants, your dentist will demonstrate how to floss and properly care for them. To ensure that you’re carefully and correctly caring for your dental implants, implement these flossing practices:

• Never push the floss down into the gum pocket; rather, gently slide the floss between each tooth.
• Remove a long strand of floss (about 18cm) and wrap the ends around your fingers, leaving a few inches to work with.
• Use a “C” motion to thoroughly clean around the base of each tooth.
• Move the dental floss between your fingers to reveal a clean section and move on to the next tooth.
• If you fear that you can’t floss without disturbing the peri-implant seal, contact your dentist for assistance.

Dental implants can completely change your smile and your life for the better; but it’s dependent on your willingness to take great care of them! That said, knowing how to properly floss with dental implants and implementing these tips will ensure that your new pearly whites are brilliant and healthy for the foreseeable future.

About the Author

Dr. David M. Fisher, Jr. is honored to serve the dental needs of the Greensboro area. Dr. Fisher received his DDS from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a member of the American Dental Association, the Guilford County Dental Society, and the Academy of General Dentistry. His practice is proud to offer several available services including dental implants. If you have any questions about dental implants or would like to schedule a visit, feel free to contact Dr. Fisher through his practice’s website or by phone: (336) 288-1242.