Imagine buying a new convertible and then forgetting to put the top up right before a big thunderstorm rolls through town. What a mess! Will your investment ever be the same?
In their own way, dental implants can actually be even more impactful on your quality of life than that new convertible. They are a worthwhile investment, so it will be crucial to take good care of them.
Keep reading to learn some bad habits from your dentist in Peabody that could jeopardize your dental implants.
Clenching Your Jaw or Grinding Your Teeth
When you grind your teeth or clench your jaw in your sleep, it’s called bruxism. This frequent extra pressure and abrasion can lead to a lot of issues, including damaging or loosening your dental implant. Your dentist can help you find out if you have bruxism and develop a custom mouthguard to keep your teeth safe.
Consuming Too Much Sugar
Sugary snacks boost your chances of developing gum disease, which is the leading cause of tooth loss in America. Eventually, it can damage the jawbone and destroy the connective tissues that hold your natural teeth and dental implant in place. There are gum disease treatments available but cutting back on your sugar intake is a much simpler way to avoid disaster.
Chewing on Items That Are Not Edible
Nervous habits like chewing on ice, pens, or your fingernails must go. While dental implants are made from high-quality materials, they are not designed for chewing plastic, metal, or hard tissues like fingernails. Not only could you crack or chip your restoration, but you could also potentially damage the bones around the dental implant to put it at risk of failure.
Smoking Tobacco
If smoking is bad for natural teeth, it’s terrible for dental implants. It elevates your risk for gum disease, which would make it harder for your jawbone to grow and bind with the dental implant. Smokers are 2-3 times more likely to lose their dental implants.
Not Flossing Every Evening
Dental implants can’t develop cavities, but you still need to brush them to protect the rest of your mouth from plaque. It’s the same for flossing, but even more crucial. Flossing removes food and plaque from around the gum line – including parts of the dental implant you can’t reach with a toothbrush. Because gum disease is the leading cause of dental implant failure, it’s vitally important to protect your gums.
As you can see, the tips to protect your dental implants also put you in a better position to be healthy overall. That must be why they are called bad habits. You can schedule a consultation with your dentist to discuss dental implants, and if you believe it is going to be difficult to stop any of these habits it would be important to mention it.
About the Author
With the help of his staff, Dr. Spiro Saati has been serving his patients in Peabody for his entire career. He is currently an active member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, American Dental Association, the Massachusetts Dental Society, the American Academy of Periodontology, the Northeast Society of Periodontology, the Pierre Fauchard Academy, and the Academy of Osseointegration. If you are interested in dental implants, Dr. Saati can provide full dental implant placement and restoration in one location. Also, skilled specialist Dr. Josephine Pandolfo offers her considerable dental implant experience and training to Dr. Saati’s patients for maximum convenience. To schedule a consultation, visit his website or call (978) 531-2185.