The 6 Worst Habits to Have if You Own Dental Implants

Once your dental implants in Huntington Beach have fully healed and your smile is complete, it’s reasonable to believe that you’re going to start enjoying your favorite foods again. But it’s also crucial for you to pay very close attention to your current habits and whether or not they are likely to cause harm to the longevity of your tooth replacements. To learn which habits you should avoid most, how they harm dental implants, and what you can do to break them, keep reading!

Using Tobacco

Not only are all forms of tobacco known for causing dental disease and oral cancer, but they are extremely harmful to dental implants. Using tobacco products, especially right after completing surgery, can have a huge impact on the implant’s ability to heal effectively. If you’re struggling to quit, consider speaking with a dentist or general practitioner on your options. Nicotine patches, medication, and other solutions can make the process of quitting easier.

Skipping Your Flossing Routine

Not only does flossing work to remove plaque from the sides of teeth, but it reduces your risk of gum disease, which is the leading cause of tooth loss for both natural teeth and dental implants. Find a flossing method that you’ll enjoy performing, such as opting for floss picks.

Using Your Teeth as a Tool

Dental implants are strong and durable, but trying to open packages or bottles with your teeth can cause them to fail. Instead, make sure you have the right tools nearby. The last thing you want is for your investment to fail after spending so much money on it.

Chewing on Very Hard Foods

You can eat just about any foods you want with dental implants, but that doesn’t mean you should eat options that would harm natural teeth just as much. For example, avoid chewing on ice cubes or popcorn kernels, two foods that can easily crack the restoration attached to your implant or even damage the implant itself.

Failing to Wear Protective Mouthguards

While you don’t need to wear a mouthguard at all times, you should wear one if you are playing an active sport where the risk for injury is high and if you grind your teeth at night (often referred to as nightguards). Custom options are always better than store-bought ones and available from most dentists!

Skipping Your Dental Checkups

A routine checkup every six months is a great way to ensure your oral hygiene is working as intended and confirm your dental implant is remaining healthy. The more consistently you attend these visits, the less likely you’ll need to have emergency or restorative dentistry performed later due to underlying problems that got missed.

About the Author

Dr. Justin Braga is a highly experienced periodontist with the training and expertise necessary to place dental implants, whether you’re missing single or all your teeth. He also offers more complex procedures to ensure the healthiest tooth replacement possible, including bone grafting, making his office a perfect one-stop shop for dental implant surgery. To schedule an appointment, you can contact him through his website.