If you are ready to undergo dental implant surgery at No Gaps Dental, you may be wondering what foods you can eat while you heal and recover. Once your dental implants have fully healed and integrated with your jawbone, you’ll be able to enjoy all your favourite foods, which is one of the incredible benefits of dental implants.
However, during the recovery and to ensure a successful outcome, your dentist will recommend soft foods to eat after dental implants and discuss which foods to avoid immediately following your dental implant surgery.
What to Expect After Dental Implant Surgery?
Although dental implant surgery is minimally invasive, you may experience some discomfort post-surgery. Typical side effects from dental implant surgery include pain at the implant site, slight bruising and swelling in your gums and face, and minor bleeding. Your dentist may prescribe antibiotics and pain medication to help you heal.
When you have dental implant surgery, you won’t be able to eat immediately afterwards.
Once you have removed the gauze, you’ll be able to have cool liquids for the first few hours but avoid drinking through a straw or a water bottle that requires suction or drinking anything hot.
Drinking through a straw creates negative pressure inside your mouth, which can cause your wound to reopen.
Consuming hot beverages and food like coffee, tea, or soup can irritate the gum tissue and slow down the healing process.
What If I Don’t Have an Appetite After Dental Implant Surgery?
It is common for patients not to have an appetite following dental implant surgery, especially when they are nervous about irritating the surgery site or reopening the wound.
However, it is critical to give your body the fuel to heal and recover. Most patients find cold, soft foods like milkshakes, smoothies, jelly, and ice cream soothing on their delicate gum tissue, especially in the first 24-48 hours.
After surgery, choose soft foods you enjoy and add extra protein to build and repair your soft tissues when deciding what to eat. Protein also helps fight infection and facilitates cell renewal. You can load up on cottage cheese or yoghurt, enjoy scrambled eggs or add protein powder to your smoothies.
Over time, your appetite will gradually return, and you’ll be able to introduce a wider variety of foods, including softer meats like chicken, flakey fish, and beef mince.
Foods to Avoid After Dental Implant Surgery
To prevent damaging your dental implants and irritating the surgery site, avoid eating these foods for the first week following your dental implant surgery.
- Acidic foods and citric juices like tomatoes and oranges irritate the wound.
- Alcoholic and carbonated beverages irritate the surgical site.
- Crunchy foods like crisps and nuts can get trapped at the site or reopen the wound.
- Hot food and drinks like soup, tea, and coffee can slow down healing.
- Spicy foods like salsa and curry inflame and irritate the gums.
- Sticky foods like toffee and caramel can stick to the surgical site, increasing your risk of infection.
- Tough foods like raw vegetables and meat can be challenging to chew and increase discomfort.
Soft Foods to Eat After Dental Implants
Why should you eat soft foods after dental implants? After dental implant surgery, your gums will be swollen and tender for a few days. Your jaw may also be sore. For the first 1-2 weeks following surgery for dental implants, stick to a soft food diet to avoid irritation to the open wound and ensure proper healing. While the foods you choose depend on your personal preferences and what brings you the most comfort, here are a few suggestions:
- Pureed fruit baby food pouches have all the same nutrients and fibre as regular fruits in an implant-safe form. They are a great snack to enjoy on the go, and you can partially freeze them before eating to help numb the wound site and reduce swelling.
- Smoothies are filling and nutritious. Make sure your smoothie is well blended, and eat it with a spoon. Include nutrient-dense ingredients like avocado, steamed spinach, broccoli, or nut butters.
- Cold soups like gazpacho are an excellent choice for the first few days post-surgery. Or, if you prefer blended soups or broths, serve them at room temperature, not hot.
- Ice cream or yoghurt, which is cold and soft, can help reduce swelling.
- Cottage cheese and soft scrambled eggs pack a protein punch to boost your recovery.
- Instant porridge is an excellent breakfast choice. It is high in nutrients, including fibre, vitamin B-6, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin. Serve at room temperature with pureed banana or pears for sweetness.
- Hummus or white bean dip are great ways to enjoy plant-based protein. Serve with soft pita bread rather than corn chips or raw vegetable sticks to avoid damaging the implant site.
- Icy poles made from fresh fruit juice or frozen yoghurt pops can give you the vitamins you need to heal while helping to reduce post-surgical inflammation and swelling.
Speed Up Your Dental Implant Recovery on a Soft Food Diet
During your recovery, you should rinse your mouth with a saltwater solution to remove food particles from around your dental implants after eating. This can help prevent bacterial growth and reduce the risk of infections such as peri-implantitis.
Ensure that you brush and floss your natural teeth and around your dental implants to maintain good oral health, and attend follow-up appointments with your dentist to monitor the condition of your dental implants.
Call No Gaps Dental on (02) 8806 0227 to book an appointment at one of our 15 Sydney-based locations. Our knowledgeable dentists can provide you with aftercare instructions and information about soft foods to eat after dental implants following surgery.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
References
Everything to Know About a Dental Implant Procedure
https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health/dental-implant-procedure
20+ Soft Food Ideas That Are Actually Satisfying
https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/soft-food-ideas/
What Is a Soft Food Diet?
https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-is-a-soft-food-diet