OT: Flossing or using a water pik

[Smiley]

OK recently as some may recall I had an implant installed last year. Seems that the best preventative care for persons with implants is using a water pik since the gum line to the implant is not as if you have a real tooth in the same situation. So my dentist a year later says I need to start a regiment using my old water pik which I have done to make sure all matter is freed from under the implant. I am a week into changing my flossing routine into adding flossing and water piking and boy I can say its time to teach this old dog a new trick. My dentist also suggested adding a table spoon of bleach in the water pik reservoir which adds some cleaning in the process.
The Captain has found a new love for the Water Pik, and now looking forward to making it a permanant addition to my routine. Any Pik users out there :)

[rnhood]

Are you sure your dentist did not mean, "baking soda"? I have not heard putting bleach inside the mouth, outside Peroxide of course. Maybe he was referring to Peroxide.

[OtayBW]

Both are oxidants and probably act similarly. Bleach is NaOCl, typically ~3% solution sold in stores. Peroxide, H2O2, is also typically sold at ~3% solution. I don't know that one would be any better/worse than the other, especially so diluted in the water pik, but neither sound too appealing to me. Baking soda - sure - I use that all the time, but I doubt it would have any effect dissolved in water pik solution.

[Smiley]

Actually its no bad at all, tastes like having a bit of pool water in your mouth. I can see the hygenic benifits of doing it too. Its one spoon in 32 oz so its not a big deal. I am actually liking it and in my next check up in 40 days I will know if its having an effect on my gums :)

[mike p]

Gotta love this forum!

Mike

[endosch2]

You should ask your dentist for a product called "peridex" which is .02%Chlorhexidine.

As far as your new implant goes the gum tissue does not have the same type of attachement to the crown. While you want to keep it clean you dont really want to be aggressively flossing or brushing too hard that would cause pocketing in the gums surrounding the crown or abutment. The abutment is the part that comes out of the implant in the bone and supports the crown on top of the implant.

So be gentle with it but keep it clean.

[Blue Jays]

What type of bicycle does your dentist ride? :D

[Volant]

This is very timely as I'm about to have the post installed for mine. Anything else that's been different with the implant vs the real tooth?

[Dekonick]

Pik and floss user here. Never tried bleach before, but do use hydrogen peroxide sometimes (usually just as a mouthwash after diluting 3% solution 50/50 with tap water.

[endosch2]

This is very timely as I'm about to have the post installed for mine. Anything else that's been different with the implant vs the real tooth?


Implants are as close to real teeth as you can get - if you have natural teeth opposing and adjacent to the implant you dont have to do anyting different. Just make sure when your dentist puts the crown on the abutment that the implant crown is in "light occlusion" which means it should be the last tooth in contact when you bite down hard. When your crown is delivered (cemented in your mouth) be patient and bite down as carefully and naturally as you can so that your dentist can make proper adjustments and that it is not too high relative to your other teeth.

[wc1934]

What type of bicycle does your dentist ride? :D

you mean what type of boat does he own

[William]

you mean what type of boat does he own


It's not a boat. It's a YACHT!! :rolleyes:




William ;) :D

[Don49]

I use a shot of Tom's of Maine peppermint mouthwash in the water pik for flavoring and that seems to work well. Some of the commercial mouth washes tend to foam when run through the pik. You might also try a "proxy brush" in conjunction with the flossing and water pik if you have any teeth with particularly wide spaces between them.