Dental implant surgery is a huge step on your path toward replacing your lost teeth. After you recover from it, you will be well on your way to regaining a strong and confident smile that can allow you to eat all your favorite foods. In the meantime, though, you need to take care of yourself so you heal well from your procedure. Part of that involves temporarily avoiding certain foods. What items should you stay away from as you recover? This blog post provides practical guidance.
Hard & Crunchy Foods
Items like nuts, chips, and crackers are all delicious, but they can break into little pieces that get caught around your surgical sites, which could lead to significant irritation or even infection. Plus, your entire mouth is likely to be sore after your procedure, and you do not want to tax it by biting into foods that take a lot of effort to consume.
Chewy & Sticky Foods
Chewing gum, caramel, and other chewy/sticky foods can be very difficult to consume while your mouth is healing, so it is best to avoid them. You also do not want any sticky foods clinging to your implant abutments or healing caps (if you have them).
Spicy & Acidic Foods
Foods with a lot of spice or a high acid content, like curries, tomato-based dishes, and any heavily seasoned meal, can irritate your surgical sites and cause unnecessary discomfort. Mild foods are much easier to consume.
Alcohol
If you occasionally like to enjoy an adult beverage, you will have to put that habit on hold as you heal from dental implant surgery. Alcohol can slow down your body’s healing process and even interact with certain medications, such as pain relievers.
What to Eat Instead
Soft foods that require little to no chewing effort are best after dental implant surgery. Things like mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, applesauce, meatloaf, yogurt, brothy soups, and meal replacement shakes are all acceptable choices. Your dental team can give you additional ideas on how to choose foods that are satisfying and will complement your body’s healing process.
When Can You Eat Normally Again?
For most people, it is safe to resume eating normal food within two weeks or so of the surgery. At this point, the soft tissue should be mostly healed, so you can go back to enjoying a wider variety of foods. Of course, you might need to stick with a soft diet if you do not have enough natural teeth remaining to chew comfortably (or if you do not have a temporary denture attached to your implants).
You might have to sacrifice some of your favorite snacks and meals as you heal from dental implant surgery. Be patient, comply with your dentist’s post-op instructions, and look forward to the wonderful results of your tooth replacement journey.
Meet the Practice
At Family Dental Practice of Bloomfield, we proudly offer start-to-finish dental implant services in a welcoming environment. We are always happy to answer patients’ questions about how they can care for themselves at home to support a smooth healing process. If you are ready to learn more about dental implants, schedule a consultation by contacting us at 860-263-0441.