What To Eat After Dental Implants?

One of the most popular options for replacing missing teeth is dental implants. This involved placing a titanium screw into the jawbone which acts as a tooth root and attaching a dental crown or other dental prosthetic to replace missing teeth.

Dental implants are just one of the tooth replacement options offered by Dr. Afroz Burges Family and Cosmetic Dentistry.

Once you have completely healed from this procedure and osseointegration has occurred, you will be able to enjoy all of your favorite foods. However, immediately following surgery, you must follow certain dietary restrictions to reduce your risk of implant failure.

Rules to Follow after Implant Surgery

Immediately following the placement of your dental implants, your jaw and teeth will likely hurt. However, approximately an hour after the surgery, you can remove the gauze and eat something. You cannot go straight to your normal diet though. You’ll want to stick to a cool liquid diet, which means that you must avoid hot foods/beverages. You will also need to avoid drinking through a straw, as this will put pressure on the implant site and may cause the blood clot to come out. Finally, avoid drinking alcohol and smoking for at least a few days following surgery.

What can you eat on the day of surgery?

As mentioned, you’ll want to stick with a cool liquid diet, which means cool/cold foods that do not require chewing and are nutritious. This includes:

• Smoothies
• Cold soups
• Applesauce
• Milkshakes
• Jell-O
• Milk
• Fruit juices/nectars
• Pudding

What can you eat in the weeks after surgery?

After a few days, you can switch to a soft-food diet for approximately 3 months. During this time, osseointegration will occur. This is the process in which the jawbone will heal around the implant, securing it in place. During this time, you will be given a temporary dental prosthetic. This temporary prosthetic is not designed to withstand the normal bite force required for chewing on hard/crunchy foods.
Therefore, you will need to choose foods high in protein and other nutrients to facilitate recovery, including:

• Eggs/omelets
• Milk
• Yogurt
• Cheese
• Potatoes
• Fish
• Chicken
• Ground beef
• Soft fruits, such as peaches and bananas
• Steamed veggies
• Soft bread
• Oatmeal
• Pasta
• Other soft, nutrient-rich foods

What Foods Should Be Avoided Following Dental Implant Surgery?

In order to avoid damaging your dental implants and risking implant failure, there are certain foods that you should avoid for at least a few weeks following surgery:

• Crunchy foods, including popcorn and chips
• Tough foods, such as some fruits and veggies
• Chewy foods, such as gummies and bagels
• Sticky foods, such as caramel and taffy
• Acidic foods, such as citrus and tomatoes
• Spicy foods, such as hot peppers and salsa
• Hot foods/drinks, such as hot coffee/tea, soups, etc

Tips to Ensure You’re Getting Proper Nutrition Following Dental Implant Surgery

Once you have healed from your dental implants, you’ll be able to return to a normal diet and enjoy your favorite foods once again. However, it’s critical that you only eat appropriate foods during the healing process. Below are a few tips to help you ensure that you’re getting the proper nutrition following implant surgery.

Eat regularly

While you are recovering from your implant surgery, it is critical that you eat/drink on a regular basis to facilitate the recovery process. This will give you the nourishment you need, give you energy, and help you feel better.

Supplement

Some of our patients find that they struggle with getting adequate protein. Therefore, you may want to consider supplementing with protein shakes to help you reach your recommended daily requirement of protein.

Stick to the recommended diet

You will experience some discomfort in the first few days following surgery. Therefore, it is critical that you follow the cool liquid diet for a few days and transition into the soft food diet as you feel capable. This will help you avoid aggravating the implant site and delaying healing/recovery.

Check your glucose levels frequently

We recommend that patients with diabetes keep a close eye on their glucose levels to help reduce the risk of infection and avoid complications related to diabetes.

Schedule Your Consultation Today

If you are missing one or more teeth, you may want to consider dental implants as a tooth replacement option. This option looks, feels, and functions the most like your natural teeth. Dr. Afroz Burges has the experience and expertise to successfully place dental implants and support your recovery. Schedule your consultation today to determine if dental implants are right for you.

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