Although options like dentures and dental bridges are both popular ways to rebuild smiles, many experts recommend dental implants for their enhanced resilience and longevity. These restorations are the only ones surgically placed in your jaw and that fuse with the bone for a longer-term, more reliable solution for tooth loss that’s unlikely to be destabilized or dislodged.
Following your provider’s post-operative instructions, including any listed dietary restrictions, can help you recover more effectively and avoid potential complications after your procedure. Continue reading to learn about 3 foods that can hinder healing if you’re not careful!
Option #1: Anything Too Hot
It’s usually recommended that you avoid eating meals, especially hot ones, immediately following implant surgery for a few reasons. For starters, your lips, tongue, and other tissues might still be numb from medications, which can prevent you from detecting intense temperatures. You might accidentally burn your tissues eating anything too hot too soon.
Furthermore, high temperatures can damage or dislodge the blood clot that must form at the implant site for it to heal, as well as trigger additional irritation in your already sensitive tissues. As a result, many providers direct patients to stick to room-temperature or cooler foods until their mouths have mended sufficiently.
Option #2: Hard, Crunchy Snacks
You should also avoid anything too crunchy, like nuts, popcorn, chips, or stiff breads, that are difficult to chew. This is because the amount of force needed to bite into them and grind them up can push or pull your new restoration out of place before it has fused with your jawbone, causing it to fail.
You might think you’re safer with sugary or sticky snacks, but these can be just as harmful. Plus, disease-inducing bacteria in your mouth thrive on sugar, so it’s best to minimize your consumption until you’re more recovered.
Option #3: Alcoholic Beverages
You’re not alone if you look forward to a glass of wine or a cold beer to unwind at the end of the day. But if you’ve just had dental implant surgery, it’s best to forgo alcohol until your mouth has healed. Unfortunately, it functions as a diuretic and can cause dehydration that suppresses your immune system and blood flow.
This renders your body unable to deliver essential nutrients and infection-fighting cells to your teeth and gums after your procedure, increasing the risk of developing peri-implantitis, which is the leading cause of failure. Meanwhile, sipping more water can boost your defenses and help keep your mouth clean as it recovers.
If you have additional questions about which foods are safe to enjoy after your treatment, you can learn more by contacting your dentist’s office directly!
About the Practice
Patients at Devonshire Dental of Boston benefit from a team of providers who are eager to help them build and maintain the healthiest, most beautiful versions of their smiles. Dr. Levy, Dr. Rizkallah, and Dr. Melito collaborate to provide a comprehensive menu of services, including placing and restoring dental implants, to meet your unique needs under one roof. Their compassionate approach is paired with state-of-the-art technology to deliver more comfortable, accurate outcomes. You can request an appointment on the website or by calling (617) 350-7474.