Tips you should know about dental implant floss

Tips you should know about implant dental floss? Dental implants are an excellent alternative solution for damaged or missing teeth, as they have a success rate of over 95%. However, their longevity depends on maintaining good oral hygiene habits and regular dental checkups. Some people think that brushing and using mouthwash can be the best option to maintain the health of teeth, although the two solutions are effective, the miracle of using dental floss cannot be ignored. Flossing removes food particles stuck between the teeth and prevents the accumulation of bacteria and tooth decay. This is even though the toothbrush or mouthwash does not have the power to remove these particles in many cases. The importance of flossing is necessary to protect your natural teeth, but if you have dental implants, the daily habit of flossing will be just as important.

The effect of dental implants on beauty

Of all the restorations available to replace missing teeth, dental implants are considered the gold standard and the best option. The main reason for this is that dental implants are the next best option after natural teeth. The structure, appearance, and function of dental implants are all comparable to natural teeth. Therefore, when dental implants are placed in the mouth, they are almost indistinguishable from natural teeth.

People who have dental implants are faced with the question of whether using dental implant floss is beneficial or harmful for them. In this article, we will answer this question and tell different opinions about this issue.

The effect of dental floss on dental health and dental implants

Flossing is a good hygiene practice to maintain dental health because it removes plaque and food particles between the teeth. Toothbrushes can also be effective, but the bristles on them cannot reach deep between the teeth. You might think that dental implants do not decay because they are not made of natural bone; Although this is a misconception, if it is true, gum disease can occur around dental implants if food particles remain between the teeth. No matter how many dental implants you have, you should make flossing a routine.

Advantages of using implant dental floss

Several reasons indicate that the use of implant dental floss is necessary. The most important of these reasons are:

Effective in removing small food particles

Food particles trapped between the teeth and sticky particles like candy can be effectively removed by just flossing. Although the food particles will eventually disappear, it may take several weeks. During this time, bacteria are left behind to absorb these foods, which can damage the natural tooth enamel next to the dental implant.

Prevent oral disease

If food particles remain between the teeth for a long time, they can lead to gum infection. They contribute to the formation of plaque, which can develop into a mild gum disease called gingivitis. Keep in mind that if left untreated, this disease will also progress to periodontal disease, a more serious problem that causes gum recession, and loose teeth.

In addition, if trapped food and bacteria are not removed by brushing and flossing, the jawbone can also be damaged. Uncontrolled infection can spread to the jaw and may cause the implant to fail. If the infection is severe, bone grafting may be required before the next implant is placed.

  Flossing can be effective in preventing peri-implantitis (an inflammatory process that affects the soft and hard tissues around dental implants). This disease is caused by the gradual accumulation of bacteria and food around the implants and the gum line. Peri-implantitis is very similar to gum disease and often leads to implant failure if left untreated. However, with regular flossing, you can prevent this type of local infection.

Tips on flossing with dental implants

You can use dental implant floss before or after brushing your teeth. To clean around the implant, you should:

• Use an 18-inch length of dental implant floss and gently pull it up and down between the teeth.
• Be sure to rub it along the side of the implant and veneer to remove bacteria and plaque build-up.
• Move the floss around the base of the tooth and reach under it to make a C shape with the floss.
• After flossing between two teeth, pull the floss out slowly.
• Then repeat this on the other teeth with a clean piece of floss.
• Always be gentle when flossing around dental implants, as there is only a thin barrier between the implants and the underlying bone. In natural teeth, this barrier contains strong periodontal ligaments that can withstand the excessive force of flossing. But during the implant procedure, this barrier is weakened. Therefore, if exposed to aggressive flossing, the barrier that remains will be easily ruptured and can open the way for bacteria to enter the underlying bone, resulting in infection. In the long run, this can cause bone loss and implant failure.
• If traditional flossing is too difficult for you, use an oral irrigator, also known as a water flosser. This small device uses high-pressure water flow to loosen and remove food particles and plaque.

Flossing and brushing are very important to maintaining your oral health after getting dental implants, so take the time to make sure you’re doing everything right.

  Different opinions about implant dental floss; Is dental floss harmful to implants?

Things you should know about dental implant flossing: Because dental implants are so close to natural teeth in terms of structure, appearance, and function, it is often recommended to care for them as you would your natural teeth. This generally means brushing them twice a day and flossing the implants daily. However, some implant dentists now say that you should not floss around the implant. While you should follow the hygiene guidelines provided by your implant dentist in Ottawa, here are three possible reasons some dentists acknowledge that you shouldn’t floss around implants:

Tearing and remaining pieces of thread between the teeth

There are different types of dental implant floss, and some types of dental floss are made to be stronger than others. However, the common factor among all types of floss is that they can chip, especially when used around dental implants. When this happens, small pieces or particles of floss can get stuck between the gum and the implant. Since dental floss is considered a foreign material in the body, it can cause infection of the surrounding tissues. Crushed implant floss is known to cause peri-implantitis, which can cause dental implants to fail.

A mistake can be disastrous

Another reason why implant flossing may not be recommended is that flossing efficiency is directly related to people’s flossing technique. At best, a poor flossing technique can leave plaque and harmful bacteria behind. At worst, an improper flossing technique can cause severe damage to the implant. This is because the tissue surrounding the implant forms a protective seal around the implant to prevent bacteria from entering. In natural teeth, this protective barrier consists of periodontal ligaments. Unfortunately, the protective seal that surrounds the implant is not as strong as the periodontal ligaments, meaning it can be easily torn by a flossing mistake. When this barrier is broken, an opening is created for bacteria to reach the bone. Finally, this can lead to bone damage or bone loss, which can lead to implant failure.

Lack of effectiveness

In addition to the fact that dental implant floss can damage the dental implant, it is also not recommended due to its inefficiency. While flossing works well for removing plaque and food debris from natural teeth, it doesn’t always work well for dental implants. This is because dental implants come in different sizes and shapes, as well as in different depths. All these factors ultimately mean that the distance between dental implants and other implants or natural teeth can be different. Since flossing is primarily designed to move between tight spaces, this suggests that flossing may not be the best tool for removing plaque and food debris from wider spaces between implants.

Alternative methods of implant dental floss

Considering the above, you may decide not to use implant dental floss! But remember that flossing is an important part of removing plaque and bacteria from hard-to-reach areas in your mouth. Although dental implants cannot decay like natural teeth, your gums can still be affected by gum disease in cases where bacteria accumulate along the gum line. Since flossing can be potentially harmful, here are some ways to clean around implants without flossing:

Interdental brushes for cleaning dental implants

Interdental brushes are round or conical brushes that are attached to a thin wire with a handle at the end. They come in a variety of sizes and lengths to fit between your teeth or dental implants, allowing you to follow your oral hygiene routine. Interdental brushes, like dental floss, are placed between the teeth and then used to gently brush back and forth and up and down to remove plaque and food debris. But unlike flossing, interdental brushes don’t rub off when used around dental implants. Some sources indicate that interdental brushes are more effective in removing plaque than dental implant floss.

Water flosser

Water flossers, also known as oral irrigation systems, are recommended as an alternative to traditional flossing and implant flossing. Instead of using physical defects, water flossers use a pulsating stream of water that acts as floss. This flow of water is used between the teeth and along the gum line to remove plaque and food debris. Like interdental brushes, water flossers do not leave any trace to cause infection. They are also easy to use and effective in removing plaque from around the implant.