Dental implants can make a smile look fabulous – I know I have them. However, if you are just thinking about getting them, you may have a lot of questions. You may be wondering how smoking affects implants, whether or not wine will stain them, if they can be whitened or other concerns. I also know from experience that it can be intimidating to ask some of these questions to your dentist. In my dental implant blog, I am going to answer the questions that can be hard to ask. I hope you find the info you need in this blog and that it guides you to the right decision about dental implants. Thanks for reading!
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What to Eat and What Not to Eat after Dental Implant Surgery
Isobel Berry
In order to recover appropriately from your dental implant surgery, you should choose your food wisely at the same time that you restrict your intake of an unhealthy diet.
Why is diet a basic building block of your recovery?
Dental implants will be in direct contact with your bone tissue. Dental implants usually take several months to become completely attached to your jaw. If too much pressure is put on them, your implants may loosen and the whole recovery may last much longer than what was originally planned. Moreover, given the initial space between your implants and your jaw, your gum tissue can become infected if exposed to harmful substances or foods.
What to eat, then?
You should limit your diet to soft foods, at least during the first week of the recovery. Soups without chewy pieces are highly recommended as they won't cause any type of disruption in your mouth. Steamed vegetables are also easily chewed, so you can include spinach, broccoli, etc., all of which have a high vitamin and mineral content. This will also quicken your healing time. Soft fruits such as watermelon, bananas, and berries can also be eaten. Harder fruits such as apples and pears will have to be cut into pieces before being taken. In terms of starches and grains, soft cereals can be eaten for breakfast and rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes for lunch and dinner.
Protein should be consumed from sources such as eggs, fish, and beans. Quinoa is also a good choice, along with milk and its derivatives. Drinking plenty of water is just as important as your overall diet in the healing process.
What not to eat?
During the first week of recovery, any type of hard food should be avoided. However, they may be introduced slowly and gradually in the next few weeks into your diet. Anything crunchy, like hard candies and any type of nut, is a big no-no for the dental implant patient. As a rule of thumb, anything that takes more than 5–7 chewing rounds should be left aside. Very hot or very cold foods should be also kept at bay. Plus, any type of food that could get potentially stuck in your teeth such as chips or popcorn should be avoided.
On top of a good diet regime, you should also sleep 8–10 hours every night, and in case you regularly smoke, it's advisable that you quit or dramatically reduce this habit for 4–6 months, which is the normal time it takes for your gums and jaw to heal.
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