Dental Implants And Halloween: You Still Have To Control Your Candy Intake
Halloween is on the way, and if you are getting dental implants, you might think that you are going to be a little more cavity resistant now — which could mean being able to eat more candy. That is not really true. While implants are made from artificial materials, you still have to be very careful about eating candy, if not more careful than you were when you had all-natural teeth.
Gums Can Still Suffer
The implant might not develop a cavity, but the surrounding natural teeth still can, and your gums can still suffer as well. Unless all of your natural teeth have been replaced by implants, you have to treat everything you eat, including candy, as potential cavity promoters. That means still brushing and flossing regularly and getting your teeth cleaned, too.
As for your gums, the section of your gums that's next to and under the implant and crown does not become invincible. This section can become irritated and develop gingivitis or worse if you're not careful.
Candy Can Be Trapped Under the Caps
A problem that is specific to having implants is that the candy can become trapped under the cap, or crown. A minute amount of the food wedged under the spot where the crown meets the gumline can create a big problem. Removing it might require more than just flossing or using a dental pick lightly. You might need to have your dentist try to retrieve the bit of food from the space inside the crown, which can be complicated.
Strong Candy Can Cause Damage
Another issue many implant wearers don't think about is that, as strong as the implant and crown are, they can be physically damaged by really strong, sticky candy. The crown in particular can be pulled off if you try to chew something that is persistently sticky. The crown can also crack if you try to bite into something hard like boiled sugar candies or jawbreakers.
No one wants to think about completely eliminating all candy from Halloween celebrations, but if you decide to indulge, choose candies that are not strongly sticky and not very hard. Brush and floss after your candy-eating sessions like you would a regular meal, and drink water when you eat the candy, too. The water will help wash remnants of the candy away. See your dentist in the weeks after Halloween for a regular cleaning and to inspect the implants. For more information, contact local professionals like Colerain Denture Center.
