Your implant is not self-cleaning. Daily flossing around the implant neck is non-negotiable.
Why plaque control matters around dental implants?
Peri-implantitis is a common plaque-associated disease that causes inflammation and bone loss around implants. It is defined as "a pathological condition occurring in tissues around dental implants, characterized by inflammation in the peri-implant connective tissue and progressive loss of supporting bone".1
- It begins as plaque-induced mucositis and spreads to deeper tissues.
- As inflammation progresses, it leads to collagen degeneration and the gradual deterioration of the supporting bone structure.2
- Peri-implant tissues are more susceptible to infection and inflammation due to the lack of robust vascularity of natural gingiva.3
This makes effective plaque control the cornerstone of prevention.
Daily Home Care - The First Line of Defence
Consistent patient-performed plaque control is essential to prevent peri-implant mucositis and halt progression to peri-implantitis.
Advise twice-daily brushing with a soft manual or powered toothbrush and toothpaste to disrupt biofilm effectively.4
Chlorhexidine-containing mouthwashes are antibacterial and scientifically proven to reduce gingival inflammation, helping prevent peri-implantitis.
High-risk patients benefit from structured supportive peri-implant therapy, including scheduled professional debridement and regular reinforcement of home-care techniques.
Interdental Brushes and Water
Flossers – Useful
Adjuncts
Interdental Brushes
- Ideal for wide embrasures and around multiple-unit bridges.
- Useful when there is adequate space for bristle access.
- Less effective in tight or asymmetrical peri-implant contacts.
Water Flossers / Oral Irrigators
- Help flush debris and reduce inflammation.
- Should be positioned as adjuncts, not stand-alone plaque-control tools.
Dental Floss
Dental floss, such as Colgate Special Floss, is uniquely suited to clean the critical implant–abutment and prosthesis margins where conventional brushes cannot reach.
Reaches where brushes can't:
Ideal for cleaning implant–abutment junctions and prosthesis margins.
Adapts to tight spaces:
Works effectively in narrow embrasures and under-contoured implant restorations.
Targets high-risk zones:
Provides direct mechanical biofilm removal along mucosal margins.
Superior precision:
Floss can access irregular peri-implant spaces that interdental brushes or water flossers may miss.
Best Practices
Commbination Approach
- Combination of different interdental aids disrupts biofilm and helps achieve better plaque control, best suited for heavy implant prostheses.
Clinical Tip
- Demonstrate the stos chairside to reinforce the effectiveness of mechanical Flossing around the neck of the implant.
Key Takeaways for Your Patients
Remember: Floss First, Then Add Aids
Your implant is not self-cleaning. Daily flossing around the implant neck is non-negotiable.
Dental floss, interdental brushes and water flossers work best when used in combination.
Regular reviews allow you to check how well your patients clean around the implant and adjust home-care plans before problems start.
Dental floss, interdental brushes and water flossers work best when used in combination.
Regular reviews allow you to check how well your patients clean around the implant and adjust home-care plans before problems start.
PRESENTING
Colgate Special Floss
Don’t let conventional floss impact your implant success.
Recommend Colgate Special Floss, which is redefining precision in interdental
hygiene.
References:
1. Schwarz, F., Derks, J., Monje, A., & Wang, H. (2018). Peri-implantitis. Journal of Periodontology, 89(S1), S267-S290. https://doi.org/10.1002/jper.16-0350
2. Anuntakarun, S., Thaweesapphithak, S., Krasaesin, A., Prommanee, S., Arunyanak, S., Kungsadalpipob, K., Acharya, A., Porntaveetus, T., & Mattheos, N. (2025). Microbiome Shifts in Peri-Implantitis: Longitudinal characterisation of dysbiosis and resolution. International Dental Journal, 75(5), 100951. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.identj.2025.100951
3. Alterman, M., Jensen, O.T., Glick, P.L., Mazor, D., & Casap, N. (2022). Dental implant risk factors for peri-implant disease: a narrative review. Frontiers of Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine, 5, 26. https://doi.org/10.21037/fomm-21-100
4. Govindarajan, D. K., Mohanarangam, M., Kadirvelu, L., Sivaramalingam, S.S., Jothivel, D., Ravichandran, A., Periasamy, S., & Kandaswamy, K. (2025). Biofilms and oral health: nanotechnology for biofilm control. Discover Nano, 20(1), 114. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11671-025-04299-3