One of the most important things you can do to recover from dental implant surgery successfully is eat a balanced diet for your health and the recovery process. What to eat after dental implant surgery sounds simple enough, but it’s only during recovery that you may find that some foods you thought would be suitable after the placement of your dental implants are not.
Additionally, your appetite may have changed, so what should you do to keep your nutrient intake up if you have gone off your food? Here are some tips.
The importance of choosing the right foods to eat after dental implant surgery
A healthy diet is the cornerstone of a healthy body, and your eating habits before and after receiving dental implants can affect your health and well-being.
is needed to promote healing after your surgery for dental implants and provide your body with the amount of vitamins and nutrients needed to grow healthy tissues and keep your immune system strong.
So, your top priority should be to eat a variety of foods, such as vegetables, fruits, and meat high in protein, vitamins, and minerals, while always making sure to drink plenty of water for optimal hydration.
What to eat after dental implant surgery?
You will need to modify your diet considerably for a short time after you’ve had dental implants placed. Your mouth may be sore and your jaw stiff and so limiting your intake to foods that do not need chewing, such as a liquid diet or pureed foods, could be the best option.
As your mouth continues to heal, and after your stitches have been removed or dissolved, you can begin to introduce solid foods into your diet, starting with soft foods that require minimal chewing so as not to disturb the areas in your mouth where dental implants have been placed.
What to eat in the days following dental implant surgery?
In the days following the placement of dental implants, your mouth and jaw may feel tender. Additionally, there may be some swelling that could make opening your jaw difficult.
During the first 24 hours following dental implant surgery, it’s best to stick to a liquid or pureed food diet. Make sure you include foods packed with nutrients to help you stay nourished and heal faster to get back to your regular diet more quickly. These include:
- Smoothies: These are delicious and allow you to consume fruit, milk, yogurt and ice cream in one tasty and nutritious meal that contains vitamins and calcium, which helps build strong bones and teeth.
- Yogurt: Yogurt is rich in protein, which helps build new tissue and blood cells that aid in healing. It is also rich in calcium and probiotics, which support your immune system as it fights off infection from the surgical wound.
- Scrambled eggs: Eggs are rich in protein, which helps stimulate healing.
- Mashed banana: Mashed banana helps because it is loaded with potassium and contains enzymes that help reduce inflammation and swelling in the gums.
- Avocado: Avocados are a fantastic source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. You can consume them mashed up on their own or add to another soft food, like cottage cheese.
What to eat once your mouth begins to heal?
As your mouth and jaw heal following the placement of dental implants, you can begin to introduce solid foods into your diet. Continue to help your body’s recovery with foods rich in nutrients and protein.
- Eggs/omelettes are easy to chew, and you can add cheese and wilted spinach for a well-balanced meal following dental implant surgery.
- Poultry, meat and fish can be re-introduced but start with softer foods that you can chop up finely or mash that you don’t have to chew too much, for example, canned tuna and ground beef.
- Mashed or the soft inside of baked potatoes can be combined with other soft foods to make a filling and nutritious meal.
Foods to avoid after dental implant surgery
You should avoid certain foods and drinks for around a week following dental implant surgery. Some of these will be obvious, such as:
- foods that are hard to chew, such as steak and raw vegetables
- sticky foods, particular toffees that can stick to the teeth
- crunchy foods, including crisps and popcorn that may potentially disturb the surgical site
However, the foods listed below should be avoided as they can irritate the gums, especially in the areas surrounding newly placed dental implants:
- spicy foods
- hot liquids and foods
- acidic food and drinks, including oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits and tomatoes
- fizzy drinks
Additionally, drinking liquids through a straw may seem like a good idea, especially in the days following dental implant surgery when swelling and tenderness may make it difficult to open your jaw. However, the suction force can cause bleeding around the implant site and interfere with healing.
The bottom line
Following dental implant surgery, knowing what to eat can put you on the road to a faster recovery. This article is intended to illustrate what you should and shouldn’t eat after your dental implant surgery, but you should always follow the post-op instructions from your dentist. If you have specific concerns about what to eat, or other issues about dental implants, be sure to talk to the experienced team at a No Gaps dental clinic near you.
Call us today on (02) 8806 0227.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
References
Dental Implants – Dental Implant Surgery
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/dental-implant-surgery/about/pac-20384622
AIHW – Food and Nutrition Overview
https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports-data/behaviours-risk-factors/food-nutrition/overview
Harvard – The Importance of Hydration
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/the-importance-of-hydration/