In today’s America, many people smoke, and many people are also candidates for dental implants and dentures. If you smoke, you probably already know that there are very real risks that you take with your teeth, as told to you by your dentist. But did you know that it goes much further than that if you have dental implants or dentures? Today we will look at some research, stain removal ideas, and more when it comes to the life of your dentures and implants.

Can Smoking Cause Implant Failure?

Did you know that smoking is so adverse for your implants that the risk of dental plant failure actually increases with smoking? Researchers took a close look at 66 patients with implants and followed how well their implants worked out for them for 5 years. After those 5 years, they took a closer look at how many people’s implants failed. 1.4% of nonsmokers had failing implants, while 15.8% of smokers had a failure. However, the life of the implants is not the worst part. Research also shows that smoking is not good for any type of surgery, including the implementation of implants. This same research shows us that those who smoke and receive implants are at a greater risk of infection, which can do real damage within a mouth.

Implants are always installed during surgery, which is usually done in a dental office or hospital depending on the factors. Because this is a surgical process, you as the patient must be in good health and have healthy gums as well as bone support in your mouth. As we know, smoking can affect every one of these aspects, which could make it more difficult to move forward after the process.

One of the biggest risks are not just the risks associated with the surgery itself but the long-term impact it could leave on your implants or dentures. Smoking is known to greatly limit bone growth, which means that you could find that you are not a good candidate for implants at all. Of course, there are many other adverse health effects that smoking can cause.

Cleaning Your Dentures When You Smoke

Though it is advised to try to stop smoking to lead to a healthier mouth, it also helps to establish a cleaning routine in your daily life if you have had to take the route of dentures. The last thing you want is to not have your dentures as long as you wished because they were severely stained from smoking. Here are some ways to keep them looking bright and youthful:

• Using denture cleaners that have been recommended to you by your dentist, which can remove stains and prevent plaque build-up alongside taking other care measures
• Soaking for the appropriate amount of time
• Brushing your dentures with a cleaning solution to remove leftover plaque
• Rinsing dentures under running water and rinsing well to ensure that all cleaning solution has been removed

We want to help you take care of your mouth at whatever the cost, which is why we want to share many options with you regardless of if you smoke or not. At McBride Dental, we can help you with any dental implant and denture journey, showing you the many benefits of both. Call us as soon as possible to get started at 760-471-1003.

Sources:

https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/cosmetic-dentistry/implants/ada-02-smoking-dental-implants

https://www.mydenturecare.com/en-gb/expert-advice/living-with-dentures/looking-after-your-dentures/how-to-clean-nicotine-stains-from-dentures/

https://mcbridedental.com/