2 Tips To Prevent Plaque Buildup When Wearing Dental Implants As A Senior
Plaque buildup is an issue that is often mostly addressed to teenagers and young adults. This is because younger individuals are still trying to solidify healthy eating and dental care habits. However, plaque buildup can often plague seniors as well. This is due to the fact that dry mouth becomes more common the older that you get. Dry mouth makes it difficult for your saliva to kill off the bad bacteria in your mouth. As a result, you will quickly notice plaque or bacteria buildup around your gum line if you are not careful. If you have dental implants installed, then this can be a huge problem and may cause the dental implants to weaken overtime. Luckily, there are a few tips that you can use to help prevent plaque buildup at this age.
Remove Leftover Food from Your Mouth After Each Meal
One of the simplest ways to avoid plaque buildup is to up your dental care routine. If you are used to only cleaning your mouth in the morning and at night, then this may not be the best routine for preventing plaque. Instead, consider removing leftover food immediately after each meal. Food and other contaminants can turn into plaque within a few hours and if left any longer they may harden into tartar. Using a soft bristled toothbrush to gently brush the surface of your teeth after meals will work well to prevent this.
Consider Changing Up Your Diet
There are some foods that are more prone to attracting plaque than others. This happens because they are more difficult to remove from the surface of a natural tooth and dental implant. These foods are usually sticky or hard to chew. You may notice that when you bite into your favorite steak, bits of the meat are stuck in between your teeth. Some of these pieces often will not release unless you use your toothbrush for several minutes and follow with a string floss. This can often be a time-consuming and inefficient for removing the food. Instead, try to avoid eating these kinds of foods too often. If you find steak hard to resist, then cook it a little longer until it is softer and easier to handle.
Excessive plaque buildup along your dental implants can quickly result in dental implant failure. Therefore, use these tips to ensure this does not happen to you. For more information, make an appointment at a clinic like Associates For Family Dentistry.
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