Are Cavities a Threat to Your Dental Implants?

The short answer is, “No, dental implants cannot get cavities,” but the long answer is much more interesting. If you’ve recently gotten dental implants or you’re exploring the possibility of dental implants to correct your problem of missing teeth, you’ve come to the right place.

Getting dental implants in Wilmington, NC, is a big commitment that is life-changing, so it’s important to learn as much about your dental implants as you can. You may also reach out to your Wilmington dental implant dentist at any time during the course of your dental implant journey to ask questions or get clarification on an issue.

Natural Teeth and Cavities

Cavities occur in natural teeth when plaque, tartar, and bacteria break down the tooth. Since dental implants are synthetic and do not contain the materials that natural teeth do, they are not susceptible to cavities. Bacteria, tartar, and plaque cannot damage a dental implant.

Enamel protects our natural teeth; enamel is the hardest mineralized substance produced in the human body. When oral bacteria are allowed to feed on food particles and acids left behind by lackluster oral hygiene, the tooth’s enamel becomes more porous and allows the bacteria to erode the enamel.

Underneath the enamel is a substance called dentin, which is an even more porous material made of tiny tubules that extend into the middle of the tooth. Once the bacteria get through the enamel of the teeth and reach the dentin, tooth decay with cavities develops unless a Wilmington, NC, dentist proactively treats the decay before the cavities form. This is one of the main reasons your North Carolina dentist will urge you to come in for teeth cleanings at least every six months.

Because dental implants in Wilmington have none of the materials found in natural teeth and are completely synthetic, they cannot get cavities. The materials found in dental implants, like porcelain and ceramic, are imperceptible to the forces of tooth decay and cavities, so your dental implants can never get cavities.

Caring for Dental Implants

Just because dental implants cannot get cavities does not mean they are damage-proof. Because they are made of delicate materials like the ones mentioned earlier, they are susceptible to breaking, chipping, and cracking.

Your dental implant dentist in Wilmington, North Carolina, will give you very specific instructions on what you can and cannot eat while the dental implants are stabilizing into your jawbone. Your implant dentist will give you very specific care instructions on how to clean your dental implants—much like the oral hygiene you practice on natural teeth. Following your dentist’s care instructions will surely ensure a nice long life for your dental implants.

With dental implants, you should:

1. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush because hard bristles can cause your gums to bleed and push bacteria into microscopic cuts in your mouth. Brushing twice a day for two minutes each time removes the bacteria, keeps your mouth oxygenated, and reduces your risk of cavities in any natural teeth surrounding your dental implants.
2. Your dental implant dentist in Wilmington may suggest you use what’s called an oral irrigator instead of traditional dental floss. Oral irrigators prevent implant inflammation that sometimes occurs with traditional flossing. If an oral irrigator is not recommended, your implant dentist may suggest special floss designed for use with bridges and crowns.
3. Avoid toothpaste containing stain removers like peroxide and baking soda because these can abrade implants and remove the protective glaze coatings on dental implant crowns. Ask your implant dentist about special toothpaste for dental implants.