Dental implants are intended to replace missing teeth and to help patients regain the ability to chew and bite foods effectively. However, immediately after a dental implant surgery it’s important to avoid certain foods that may cause irritation, damage, and prevention of the healing process.
Specifically, foods that are hard to chew, overly acidic, or extremely hot or cold can delay the healing process and even irritate already sensitive gums. This means avoiding things like candy, popcorn, cookies, seeds, and other foods that can get stuck in between teeth; along with overly spicy or hot foods like peppers, hot coffee, and warm soups.
In general, dentists recommend sticking to a soft diet for the first 24 hours after a dental procedure, and possibly even a liquid diet if you’re able to tolerate it.
Over the next few days after a dental implant is placed, patients should still continue eating a soft diet and introducing more solid foods as tolerable around one to two weeks post procedure.
How Long After Dental Implants Can I Eat Normally?
If you’ve just undergone a dental implant, you may be wondering when you can eat normally. The answer really varies on an individual to individual basis, and depends on factors such as the number of dental implants placed, the structural integrity of the remaining teeth present in the mouth, the presence of any underlying bone or gum disorders, the level of pain sensitivity, genetic differences that affect gum healing, and much more.
In general, however, most patients will be able to start eating non-soft foods after the seventh day or even sooner. However, if you’re unsure when to introduce more normal foods into your diet, always consult your dentist.
What Foods Can You Eat With Dental Implants?
Immediately after a dental implant is placed, patients should stick to soft foods like smoothies, eggs, yogurt, cheese, and boiled potatoes. Essentially, soft easy to chew foods are the go-to foods to eat after a dental implant.
Crunchy and difficult to chew foods like candy, popcorn, potato chips, rice, toast, and steak should be avoided until the gums are completely healed and sensitivity is gone. Extremely hot beverages like coffee and hot soups should also be avoided, as well as avoiding the use of straws as this can cause unnecessary suction on your dental implants, and delaying the healing process. In general, these foods can be reintroduced after about one week so long as your gums are completely healed and sensitivity has stopped.
Can I Eat Icecream After Dental Implants?
Cold icecream that is free of any hard candies mixed in is often recommended as it can actually promote healing and soothe pain. However, there are some patients who can’t tolerate cold foods after a dental implant; of course in these cases avoid consuming any further icecream until sensitivity has gone down.
Can I Eat Noodles After Dental Implants?
Noodles and pasta if well cooked and soft can certainly be eaten after dental implants. However, avoid adding chewy meats or hard to chew vegetables to your noodles. If you have questions about dental implants in Wilmington MA, please call us or schedule an appointment.