What Bad Habits are Bad News for Your Dental Implants?

Imagine buying a new car and then getting in a fender bender on the way home because you were texting. It could’ve been avoided, but you weren’t as careful as you could’ve been.

Getting dental implants can be a huge upgrade for your smile, but just like your car, they can be put in jeopardy if you aren’t careful. There are simple things you can avoid doing each day to drastically extend their lifespan.

Keep reading to learn about bad habits to avoid when it comes to your dental implants in Plano.

Grinding Your Teeth

Bruxism is the term for when you grind your teeth or clench your jaw in your sleep. It puts frequent extra pressure on your teeth for harmful abrasion that can damage or loosen your dental implant. Your dentist can determine if you have bruxism and develop a custom mouthguard to keep your teeth and implant safe. If you wake up with a sore jaw, it’s worth telling your dentist about.

Eating Too Much Sugar

You probably hear plenty about how harmful sugar can be to your health, but from a dental perspective, it raises your chances of developing gum disease. This is the leading cause of tooth loss in America. Eventually, gum disease can damage your jawbone and destroy the connective tissues that hold your natural teeth and dental implant in place. While gum disease can be treated if detected early enough, it’s much easier just to limit your sugar intake.

Chewing on Non-Foods

You need to ditch nervous habits like chewing on ice, pens, or your fingernails. Dental implants are made from high-quality materials, but they are not designed to chew on non-food items. It’s not worth risking a crack or chip in your restoration. You could also potentially damage the bones around the dental implant and put it at risk of failure.

Smoking

While smoking means trouble for natural teeth, it could be disastrous for dental implants. Smoking is another source of elevated risk for gum disease. In fact, smokers are 2-3 times more likely to lose their dental implants.

Not Flossing

While your dental implant can’t get a cavity, it can still be jeopardized if you allow plaque to affect the rest of your mouth. In fact, flossing is even more important than brushing in this regard. Flossing removes the food debris and plaque around the gum line – including parts of the dental implant you can’t clean by brushing. Since gum disease is the leading cause of dental implant failure, avoiding it is literally the most important thing you can do for your new investment.

Making sure not to engage in these bad habits is a big deal for your dental implants, but it will also help you be healthier in general. When you schedule a consultation about dental implants with your dentist, you can ask if they have a few more ideas about bad habits to avoid.

 About the Author

Dr. Bita Kamali got her start as a dental hygienist and she enjoyed it so much that she was driven to go to dental school a couple of years later and earn her doctorate. Through the years, she has taken continuing education courses on a variety of specialty topics including dental implant restorations. During a consultation about dental implants, Dr. Kamali can explain the installation process to you and discuss the dos and don’ts so you can ensure they last for many years to come. To schedule a consultation, visit her website or call (972) 818-1300.