It’s only natural to experience bleeding following dental implant surgery, so please don’t panic. However, if you’re experiencing bleeding around a dental implant several months or even years later, then you should call your dentist immediately.
How to stop dental implant bleeding after surgery?
Bleeding is a natural effect of any oral surgery, and that includes dental implants. You can expect bleeding within the next 24 to 48 hours after dental implant surgery since you may have a small incision in your gums that has caused the bleeding. However, please do bear in mind that in most cases, oral bleeding is usually a little blood mixed with saliva and looks worse than it is. If you see blood oozing from your mouth, then don’t worry. There are several things you can do to manage or stop it.
Apply a wet gauze to the gums
Following dental implant surgery, your dentist may supply you with gauze packs to apply to the surgical site to stem bleeding.
Use water to dampen the gauze and roll it up or fold it into a square.
Then place it against the affected area and apply pressure for up to 60 minutes.
Skip any exercise
Forego a visit to the gym or any other exercise for the first 24 to 48 hours after dental implant surgery. Lifting anything heavy, moving around a lot, or running immediately after getting dental implants can increase the risk of oral bleeding. Leave it for at least a few days until the site has healed before engaging in strenuous activities.
Rinse with saltwater
It’s critical to keep your mouth clean following oral surgery to minimise bleeding and keep infection at bay. Rinsing with lukewarm saltwater relieves sore, tender gums and helps promote healing. However, rinsing and spitting too soon after surgery can cause excessive dental implant bleeding, so leave it for a day or two.
Be careful what you eat and drink
Allow at least an hour after surgery before eating, and then be sure to choose soft foods only for the first 24 hours. Do not use a straw during this time and avoid hot food and drinks for several hours after surgery. Taking precautions such as these will help your mouth and gums heal faster.
Other effects of dental implant surgery
You may also experience pain once the effects of the local anaesthetic have worn off. Usually, surgical pain can be relieved with painkillers such as Ibuprofen that you may already have in your bathroom cabinet. Your dentist may also have prescribed a course of antibiotics to reduce the possibility of infection, and it’s essential to complete the course.
Facial swelling may also occur. Placing a cold compress or ice pack wrapped in a cloth on your cheek where the implant is positioned can help bring any swelling down.
Follow the above tips for managing dental implant bleeding, and you should soon be on the road to recovery.
What does bleeding around dental implants mean when it occurs later on?
If you are experiencing bleeding around a dental implant several weeks, months or even years after your surgery, it’s crucial to visit your dentist right away. Time is of the essence, and it’s vital to consult a periodontist as quickly as possible.
It may be that mucositis or peri-implantitis is occurring.
What is mucositis?
Mucositis is a provocative reaction in the soft tissues of your mouth surrounding your dental implants. Symptoms of mucositis include redness, bleeding, and swelling around the implant. The primary causes of mucositis are:
- Bacteria
- Poor oral hygiene
- Excess cement from crown placement
If not addressed, mucositis can accelerate into peri-implantitis, which is more severe and destructive. The latter affects both the soft tissue and gums around the implant. Peri-implantitis can be caused by
- Ill-fitting restorations
- Poorly managed diabetes
- Smoking
- Genetics
- History of periodontitis
- Excess cement beneath the gum line on a cement-retained restoration
- Strong biting force
An infection usually accompanies peri-implantitis.
Symptoms of mucositis and peri-implantitis
While the symptoms that cause dental implant bleeding are easy to recognise, some patients with the above conditions don’t feel any pain and remain unaware that they have mucositis or peri-implantitis.
The symptoms of peri-implantitis are the same as for mucositis, i.e. tissue around the implant that is inflamed, red, and bleeding. However, in addition, the symptoms of peri-implantitis include:
- Bone loss of between 2-3 millimetres around the dental implants
- A probe depth of more than 5-6 millimetres
- Bleeding after probing
While mucositis is not an infection, peri-implantitis is. Signs of infected dental implants include:
- Pus or bleeding around the implant
- Pain when chewing
- Swollen, red gums
- Bad breath
- A loose implant
How to treat an infection around an implant?
We can’t stress enough the importance of diagnosing and treating dental implant bleeding right away. Early intervention will prevent the implant from deteriorating any further. Without treatment, peri-implantitis can cause dental implants to fail.
What to do?
The first step is to schedule an appointment with your dentist. They can examine your mouth, ask about symptoms, and take x-rays to ascertain the cause of the bleeding.
Mucositis is diagnosed with a test to check if retained cement is present. If so, it can be removed by the dentist, and the inflammation should improve. Otherwise, an effective hygiene plan that includes brushing and water flossing techniques should clean the implant’s surface and stop bacteria from entering the gum around the implant.
Checking the depth of gum pockets will reveal the presence of peri-implantitis. Severe cases will require surgery to eliminate the disease, help grow more bone mass, and save your implant. If this doesn’t work, the implant will need to be removed, and the dentist will rebuild lost soft tissue and bone. Often at a later stage, dental implants can be put back in.
Hopefully, you now know how to control dental implant bleeding after surgery and what to do if you experience implant bleeding at a later date.
To find out more about dental implants and whether they’re suitable for you, why not schedule an appointment at a No Gaps dental clinic near you or call us on (02) 8806 0227 today.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks.