Dental implants have become an increasingly popular solution for missing or extracted teeth. While most implant surgeries are successful and face very few side effects, there are some things you should be attentive to during your recovery. For example, if you suddenly start to notice an unpleasant taste in your mouth from the area around your implant, that is cause for concern. Here is some information about the most common cause, called peri-implantitis:
What Causes The Unpleasant Taste?
In most cases, your dental implant will heal normally, and you won't notice anything different with it. However, sometimes you can develop inflammation or an infection of the gum tissue around the implant. That inflammation and infection is called peri-implantitis. Much like what you may notice with an abscessed tooth, the bacteria from the infection is what causes that taste in your mouth.
What Can You Do To Treat It?
There are a few things that you can do right away to help combat this problem. The very first, and most important, thing you should do is to call your dentist or oral surgeon. Explain the symptoms you're experiencing, including any pain or discomfort in the area.
While you're waiting to see your dentist, you can treat the condition at home to help keep it from worsening. Start by brushing your teeth thoroughly, focusing extra time and effort on the affected area. That way, if there are any foreign particles in the gums that are causing the problem, you may be able to brush them away.
You can also use a disinfecting mouthwash, such as one with alcohol, to help treat the area as well. Rinse for thirty seconds once an hour to keep the condition from worsening while you're waiting for your dental appointment.
What Can The Dentist Do?
The first thing your dentist is likely to do is to x-ray the affected area to see if there is any kind of rejection happening within your jawbone. If not, then the condition is isolated to the gums. He or she may treat it with antibiotics, but in some cases, the problem may be more serious than that.
If the gum tissue is heavily infected, that tissue may need to be surgically removed. Then, your dentist or oral surgeon will actually transplant tissue to restore your gums. If the implant is not secure or it appears as though it is being rejected, you may need to have it removed and replaced.
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