Eating after Implants Treatment: What to Eat and What to Avoid

One of the major benefits of dental implants is once they get healed, they do not have dietary restrictions. But in the past after your surgery, you had to avoid taking certain foods for protecting new implants.

About Recovery Process and What to Expect after Implant Surgery

• Sufficient time for rest – You will not remain down for a long time but you should take rest on the day of and the day after performing your surgery.
• Practice good dental hygiene – You are provided with a detailed schedule for how and when you need to perform oral hygiene after implant surgery. Make sure you follow it.
• Try to remain hydrated– You should stay hydrated by drinking lots of water in the days after surgery. Do not use a straw as sucking motion may disturb the incision sites.
• Minor swelling and bleeding – This will be expected immediately after the surgery. Use ice packs to lessen the swelling and gauze to control excessive bleeding.

How long after dental implants procedure can you eat normally?

After the jawbone gets fused with implants, it is possible to take your regular diet which includes your favourite foods. You need to consult with the dentist on what to expect from the treatment though it generally requires three to six months before getting the permanent tooth on the implant. This will allow you to start eating regular diet though the healing process will differ for each patient to improve your overall health condition.

What can you eat during the first 24 to 48 hours?

In the first 24 to 48 hours after placing the implant, your gums will become somewhat swollen and tender. Due to this reason, you should stick to soft foods or drinks right away after performing the procedure.

See what you eat immediately after the procedure

• Plain or flavoured water
• Protein shakes
• Vegetable or fruit juices
• Pureed soup
• Bone broths
• Mashed potatoes
• Applesauce
• Greek yogurt
• Cottage cheese
• Scrambled eggs
• Instant oatmeal
• Tofu
• Flaky fish
• Mashed bananas
• Pudding
• Herbal tea

Foods you should avoid eating after the treatment

• Hot– tea, coffee and hot soup
• Crunchy– chips, nuts and popcorn
• Spicy– hot salsa or hot peppers
• Sticky– gum and taffy
• Acidic– oranges and mangoes

The weeks after your surgery

In the weeks after placing implants, the jaw and gums will begin to heal and you can start reintroducing solid foods into your diet. You should try to make balanced and healthy choice of foods for better healing.

Read on to know what you can eat

• Proteins– eggs, omelets, chicken, fish, ground beef, turkey
• Dairy– cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, protein shakes
• Healthy fats– avocados, edamame, nut butters, olives
• Healthy carbohydrates–bananas, sweet potatoes, blueberries, oats

Risks when you do not follow food and diet protocols after the surgery

Unlike any surgical method, it is essential to follow post-operative instructions after the placement of implants. When you do not follow them, chances are you might experience certain complications such as excessive bleeding, infection, swelling, pain, infection or implant failure. If you have any questions related to food and diet protocols after the implant surgery, feel free to call our dentists and they will be more than happy to help you.

Will you be able to eat normally again after the surgery?

The answer is yes as one of the benefits of implants is you can eat normally after the implant gets healed and the final set of prosthetic teeth gets placed. There aren’t any dietary restrictions and you can eat anything you want without anxiety or fear.

Eat the right foods to take care of implants

Though eating the right food is important during the recovery process after placing implants, make sure you follow everything listed on the post-operation list. This includes taking rest, proper dental hygiene, management of pain and addressing swelling and bleeding after the surgery. You should take proper care of your gums and implants after the surgery to ensure your teeth last for a lifetime and procedure is great success.

When you have missing, damaged or loose teeth and believe dental implants might be the right choice for you, call our dental practice today to schedule your appointment with the dentist. He will conduct a thorough evaluation of your mouth, take X-rays which include images or CT scans to explain how dental implants can be beneficial for you.

You may get in touch with us for more information about dental implants and perform the procedure successfully.