Why Is it So Important to Prevent Tartar Building Up on Your Dental Implants?
Posted on: 8 May 2017
Plaque is a colourless film of bacteria and sugars, and it helps cause decay and other oral health issues. When plaque is mixed with the minerals in your saliva and allowed to calcify, it becomes tartar, which fixes to your teeth and can only be removed by a dental professional. This is why it's so important to brush natural teeth each day.
However, not many people are aware of the fact that tartar can develop on implant dentures just as easily as it does on natural teeth. Even after learning this, you might assume that this is not such a problem; after all, it's not like those dental implants can rot. True, but there are still several adverse effects that you can suffer if you allow tartar to develop on your dental implants.
Peri-implantitis
Dental implants replace both the exposed part of the tooth and the root section – they go right down into the bone. When tartar is allowed to build up on the top part of the implant, it introduces a lot of bacteria to the area. This can easily result in a serious infection known as peri-implantitis, an infectious problem that can seriously inflame the surrounding tissue and even work its way down to the bone. Peri-implantitis typically proceeds very quickly, and it can lead to bone loss.
Receding Gums
Another serious issue that can be caused by tartar build-up is the receding of the gums. The gums don't like plaque any more than your natural teeth do, and they don't even have the benefit of a hard layer of enamel to protect themselves. Plaque and tartar irritate the gums. If your dental implants develop a tartar build-up, the gums will start to recede.
Bad Breath
It should come as no surprise to learn that having lots of bacteria and bacteria-producing sugars in your mouth isn't exactly going to make your breath smell like a bed of roses. Remember, tartar can only be removed by a dental profession; you can brush all you want once it has developed, but you won't rid yourself of the compounds that are producing your bad breath.
Poor Appearance
Finally, keep in mind that, while plaque is colourless, tartar can lead become yellowy and unattractive. You might have noticed that some people have slightly discoloured spots in the crevices between their teeth – this is tartar build-up. You spent a lot of money on dental implants to get your smile back to the way it once was, so it only makes sense to keep everything looking clean and white.
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