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If you have an infected dental implant, you’re not alone, it’s estimated that 50% of those with implants will get an infection. Like many, you may be wondering if you can treat a dental implant infection at home. The good news is that there are a number of dental implant infection home remedies that you can use to treat your infected dental implant.
These home treatments are very similar to the self-care treatments that we recommend for treating periodontal disease. However, as dental-implant infections can develop and damage the bone quicker than the disease of the natural teeth it’s important to seek advice from an implantologist or expert dentist as soon as possible.
This post will explain briefly what dental-implant infections are, and what causes them so the home remedies recommended by the expert dentists behind the Gum Disease Guide make sense.
What Is A Dental-Implant Infection?
As the name suggests, a dental implant infection is an infection in the gums and supporting structures around the implant. Dental professionals refer to these infections as peri-implant infections and similar to gum diseases it is classified into different stages of the disease.
Peri-implant Mucositis
Similar to gingivitis this infection involves the soft gum tissue that surrounds the implant. It‘s characterized by red, swollen and inflamed tissue around the implant, the gums may bleed when you brush or floss the area.
Fortunately, at this stage, the infection has not reached the area under the gum line and there is no bone loss. The infection is reversible – it can be cured with at-home self-care treatments.
Peri-implantitis
If peri-implant mucositis is left untreated it may progress to peri-implantitis, which unfortunately is irreversible as the infection is affecting the structures under the gum line – there is bone loss and gum recession.
Whilst this stage of the infection cannot be cured, the good news is that it can be prevented from getting any worse with self-care treatments at home in combination with treatments from dental experts.
How Many People Get Dental Implant Infections?
If you have a dental implant infection, you’re not alone – it’s been estimated that 15 million implants are placed worldwide each year (1), and around 50% of patients will develop peri-implant mucositis and 20% of patients will progress to peri-implantitis (2).
What Causes Dental-Implant Infections?
Similar to periodontal diseases affecting the natural teeth, dental implant infections are caused by a build-up of plaque bacteria along the gumline. Poor oral hygiene, a history of periodontitis, and smoking all contribute to its development.
When the plaque bacteria are allowed to build up, the bacteria irritate the gums and the soft tissue becomes inflamed.
As the infection progresses, periodontal pockets develop allowing the bacteria to get below the gum line. Plaque bacteria attach to the abutment and the implant screw. The soft tissues under the gum line become inflamed and the cells of our immune system cause the destruction and shrinkage of the alveolar bone that anchors the implants in place.
As bone disappears, the gum line recedes and the implant is no longer held in a stable position. It may become loose and wobbly and at risk of falling out.
How Do You Know Your Dental Implant Is Infected?
If you have an infected dental implant you may have the following signs and symptoms:
- Red, swollen and inflamed gums
- Increased tendency for the gums to bleed during brushing and interdental cleaning
- Bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth
- The loosening of your implant, implant-supported bridge or dentures, as well as, all on 4.
Dental Implant Home Remedies
Those wanting to know how to treat infected dental implants at home will be pleased to know that with self-care treatments peri-implant mucositis can be reversed and peri-implantitis can be prevented from getting worse. The most effective home remedies include the following.
#1 Brush The Teeth Twice A Day
Cleaning the teeth twice a day for 2 minutes with an electric toothbrush is the best way to manually disrupt plaque-bacteria from along the gumline. By disrupting the bacteria, the gums can start to heal and recover from the infection.
#2 Clean The Gum Pockets & Interdental Spaces
Brushing the teeth cannot reach the area between the teeth or into the gum pockets, so using tools designed to clean these areas enables you to disrupt the bacteria between the teeth and under the gumline. Using one or more of the following tools each day is the best way to clean these interdental spaces.
- Single tufted toothbrush
- Interdental brushes
- Dental Floss
Floss is ideal if you have very small gaps between the teeth, but if you have large gaps then interdental brushes are recommended. See our information on how to use the tufted toothbrush.
The revolutionary gum pocket brush is the perfect tool for cleaning gum pockets and along the gumline.
#3 Use a Flouride Toothpaste & Avoid Rinsing
Dental professionals around the world recommend that toothpaste containing fluoride is used to clean the teeth. Fluoride helps to remineralise the teeth and prevent cavities but it also helps prevent bacteria from sticking to the teeth and gums. Does it help protect artificial crowns?
#4 Smoking Cessation Is Essential
Smoking is the biggest cause of tooth loss and gum disease around the world. If you have implants you will have been advised to stop smoking when the implants were fitted. If you started again or never stopped now is a great time to do so. It will be great for your general health and it will help prevent the loss of the implant(s) and any natural teeth you still have.
#5 Control Blood Sugars
If you have diabetes you will know that you are at greater risk of developing gum disease. Controlling your sugar levels will also help prevent denatl implant infections and implant failure. Maintaining your blood glucose levels at the recommended level will reduce the amount of sugar in the saliva, and reduce the food source available to the plaque bacteria.
#6 Reduce Sugar Intake and Frequency
Plaque bacteria love sugar, when sugar is present in the saliva or as a residue from sugary or carbohydrate drinks and snacks the bacteria thrive. They produce acid and toxins that damage the teeth and gums allowing cavities and peri-implant mucositis to develop. Does acid affect artificial crowns?
#7 A Healthy Diet Can Help Cure Peri-implantitis
As well as reducing how much sugar you consume it’s important to have a good intake of vitamins and minerals such as calcium as well as vitamins C, D and B12. Eating lots of nutrient-rich foods will help to keep teeth, gums and our immune systems strong and healthy.
When to see your Dentist?
The home remedies detailed above will be effective at reversing the infection but visiting a dental expert for advice and treatment is recommended because dental implant infections
- can develop and progress more quickly than gum disease
- can damage tissues and bone more rapidly than periodontitis and
- are often harder to treat than periodontal diseases.
Dental experts can disrupt plaque bacteria and tartar that have built up below the gum line and in deep periodontal pockets. Non-surgical treatments can be used to clean below the implant crown, around the abutment (which joins the artificial crown to the implant) and the implant body (screw).
In some cases, antimicrobial mouthwashes or antibiotics may be used to control the levels of bacteria. If the peri-implantitis is advanced surgical therapies may be required or in worst-case scenarios, the implant will be removed.
Takeaway
Dental implant infections can be treated effectively with home remedies that disrupt the plaque bacteria enabling the gums to heal, recover and adhere to the teeth. The most effective home remedy is developing and maintaining good oral hygiene. This includes brushing the teeth and cleaning interdental spaces with the right technique. It’s all part of your Daily Self-Performed Care.
Sources
- Dental Implants Market Analysis | iData Research
- Eli E. Machtei, “Treatment Alternatives to Negotiate Peri-Implantitis”, Advances in Medicine, vol. 2014, Article ID 487903, 13 pages, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/487903 . Available here: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/amed/2014/487903/
