Avoiding that dental implant infection

One good thing about dental implants is that you do not wind up getting classic dental conditions such as tooth decay or tooth nerve inflammation.

But you could be at risk of another condition called peri-implantitis.

Bacteria can cause the tissue surrounding the implant to become inflamed.

Sufferers may feel an itching sensation, says dentist Dr Jochen Schmidt from Cologne, Germany.

The University Hospital of Bonn lists further symptoms like swelling, bleeding and bad breath.

Unfortunately, in its early stages, peri-implantitis usually goes unnoticed.

But do not ignore this inflammation, as over time, it can actually attack and damage the jawbone, says Dr Schmidt.

This has unsightly – and also expensive – consequences as your implant then loses its hold.

Anyone with a dental implant can take steps to protect themselves against peri-implantitis.

One particularly important measure is to clean the implant thoroughly to remove bacteria that can trigger inflammation.