How to look after your implants for life: the definitive guide

The first 48 hours

Avoid hot food and drink, vigorous rinsing, and alcohol. Eat soft foods on the opposite side. Some swelling and bleeding is normal — ice packs applied to the outside of your face help with both. Sleep with your head slightly elevated.

The first two weeks

Keep the area clean by gently rinsing with warm salt water or prescribed chlorhexidine mouthwash. Brush carefully around the site — don't avoid it, as plaque control matters, but use light pressure. Avoid smoking; it significantly impairs healing and increases failure risk.

Long-term daily care

Once fully healed, implants should be cared for similarly to natural teeth. Brush twice daily with a soft or electric toothbrush. Floss or use interdental brushes around the implant daily — bacteria accumulate at the gum margin just as they do around natural teeth.

Professional maintenance

Your regular dental check-ups should include an assessment of your implant(s). Professional cleaning around implants requires specific instruments — make sure your hygienist is aware you have implants. We recommend an implant review once a year.

When to contact us

Contact us promptly if you notice: pain or tenderness around the implant that develops after initial healing; the implant feeling loose or moving; gum swelling or bleeding that persists; or any change in your bite. Most issues caught early are straightforward to manage.