Dental implants can restore your smile’s appearance and functionality and renew your confidence. While dental implant surgery is minimally invasive, it is still oral surgery. You must follow your dentist’s post-op instructions for a speedy recovery and successful outcome. Although dental implants allow you to eat normally, you need to follow your dentist’s aftercare instructions, including what foods to avoid after dental implant surgery.
Why Healing Time is Necessary After Dental Implant Surgery?
Dental implant surgery is a multi-stage process over many months, and you must give yourself time to heal following each stage of the surgery.
A dental implant is a small, metal screw that mimics a tooth root, providing an anchor for the restoration.
Once the dental implant is surgically embedded in your jawbone, it fuses with the surrounding tissue through a process called osseointegration. This can take an average of three months for the jawbone to recover and be ready for the abutment and dental crown to be added.
Dental implant surgery has a very high success rate of 87.67% after 20 years. To ensure your dental implant surgery is successful, your dentist will recommend the following for the first 7-10 days following your procedure:
- Sleep with your head elevated to decrease swelling and reduce any bleeding. This also helps speed up the healing process in the gums.
- Avoid sucking through straws because this can dislodge the blood clot, and cause more bleeding, and a possible dry socket leading to more discomfort and a longer healing time.
- Avoid smoking and chewing tobacco; not only can these substances slow down the healing process, but they may contribute to infection.
- Drinking alcohol after surgery can impede the clotting process necessary for recovery and impose an added risk of infections and dry socket.
- After 48 hours, use a saline solution to help reduce the likelihood of infection, but avoid rinsing excessively so you don’t disturb the implant and cause bleeding.
- Don’t drink carbonated drinks because they can irritate your vulnerable gums around the implant site.
- Avoid using an electric toothbrush and a water flossing device because you need to brush and floss gently for a few days after your procedure.
- An ice pack can be applied to the face for 20-minute intervals to reduce swelling.
- Try to avoid strenuous activities or exercises that might cause forceful movements of the head.
Foods to Avoid After Dental Implant Surgery
In addition to caring for the implant site and managing discomfort, there are some foods that you should avoid after getting your dental implants for the first few weeks until your dental implants have fully healed.
Tough or chewy foods
Avoid tough or chewy foods because they require more jaw movement, which can cause discomfort around the implant site. Foods that require a lot of chewing can also become stuck in the dental implants site and are hard to remove, leading to infection.
- Bread with a very hard crust
- Steak and jerky
- Dried fruits
- Fibrous vegetables, like celery and asparagus
Hard foods
There are also several crunchy and hard foods to avoid after dental implant surgery. These foods break down into fine crumbs, which can become lodged in the implant site or irritate the soft tissues.
- Potato chips
- Crackers and biscuits
- Hard taco shells
- Apples
- Nuts and seeds
Sweet, sticky, or spicy foods
Sticky and excessively sugary treats are also foods to avoid after dental implant surgery since these may cause damage to the dental implants or discomfort at the implant site. Spicy foods and beverages can also be a source of discomfort if your dental implant surgery is recent due to the high acidity content of those foods.
- Gummy lollies
- Caramel or toffee
- Hot coffee or tea
- Hot or spicy soups
- Extra spicy or peppery foods that may cause stinging or burning of the gums or already tender tissues in the mouth
Foods You Can Eat After Dental Implant Surgery
Following your dental implants, you should consume a non-chew diet until your mouth heals enough to alleviate any discomfort or added risk of damage to the dental implants. Your nutritional health is important, and soft foods high in vitamins and minerals will give you the necessary nutrients to complete your healing process.
- Cooked vegetables, mashed or pureed, such as carrots, squash, and spinach, are packed with nutrients to help you recover from dental implant surgery.
- Pasta and noodles, like macaroni and cheese, are soft alternative foods that can fill you up while your dental implants heal.
- Ripe or soft fruits, such as peaches cut into small bites or mashed bananas, are easy to eat and a healthy alternative to sticky treats that could potentially damage your dental implants.
- Meatloaf, refried beans, steamed white fish, and scrambled eggs are excellent, soft protein sources.
- Soft cooked, shredded chicken, tuna salad and peanut butter on a slice of soft bread with no crust is a healthy, protein-rich sandwich alternative to tough lunchmeat on chewier bread.
- Porridge is an excellent breakfast alternative for those recovering from their dental implants. Serve with stewed pureed apples or pears and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Visit No Gaps Dental for Premium Restorative and Cosmetic Dental Services
If you have missing teeth and want to regain your smile, visit No Gaps Dental for dental implant surgery. With 15 locations across Sydney, No Gaps Dental can help you restore and improve your smile. Whether you are a new or returning patient, you can use our online booking form to schedule your appointment and begin your journey to a healthy and beautiful smile.
Call us today on 02 8007 6727.
References
Twenty-year analysis of implant treatment in an Australian public dental clinic
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29396995/#:~:text=
Dental implant procedure
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/dental-implant#expect
What and how to eat when you’re having dental issues
https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/nutrition/nutrition-concerns/
Here’s what to eat and avoid after oral surgery
https://www.cookinglight.com/healthy-living/health/top-diets-for-2022