Undoubtedly one of the most important benefits of dental implants is being able to enjoy all your favorite foods with absolutely no pain.
In fact, dental implants offer the only long-term solution that allows you to talk, eat, and smile in the same way as a full set of natural teeth. One of the most common questions we receive from our patients in this article is “What can I eat after dental implant surgery?” We will answer the question.
What Should I Eat After Implant Surgery?
When dental implants are fully healed and integrated into your jawbone, they can give you the chewing power you need to enjoy your favorite foods. However, it is important to follow a gentle dental implant healing diet in the weeks following the procedure.
What to Eat One Day After Implant Surgery: Cold Liquid Diet
Your jaw and teeth will be in a very sensitive condition right after your dental implant is placed. About an hour after your dental implant surgery, you can remove the gauze sponges placed on the surgical site and eat something.
Diet Rules After Dental Implants
For the first 24-48 hours, you should stick to a cold liquid diet, which means:
What to Eat After Dental Implants: The Cold Liquid Diet
Avoid hot foods or drinks and consume only cold liquids instead.
Do not drink from a straw or a water bottle that requires suction, as this can put pressure on your implant site.
Do not smoke or drink alcoholic beverages for at least a few days.
Foods to Eat After Dental Implants
Focus on eating cold foods that are not chewy and packed with nutrients:
.Smoothies. Smoothies are nutritious, filling, and easy to pack with important vitamins for energy recovery. They do not require any chewing, which makes them ideal for post-surgery.
.Cold soups. It is important to avoid hot meals immediately after surgery, but you can safely consume cold soups.
.Applesauce. You may not bite into an apple at this point in your treatment, but applesauce contains all of the same nutrients in an implant-safe form.
.Other cold liquid foods such as juices and nectars, pudding and jelly, milk and milkshakes.
What to Eat in the Weeks After Implant Surgery: Soft Food Diet
You should follow a soft food diet for the first three months of dental implant healing. During this time, your dental implants will integrate with the jawbone and you may be wearing a temporary denture that is not intended to be used for chewing crunchy or hard foods.
What to Eat After Dental Implant Surgery: Soft Diet It is important to choose meals rich in protein and other important nutrients during this period to speed up your recovery. Some of the recommended foods that are easy to chew include:
.Eggs and omelet. Eggs are soft and packed with protein. For a balanced meal, you can mix it with finely chopped vegetables and make an omelet.
.Milk, yogurt and cheese. Dairy products contain lots of calcium and protein, which aids in healing and is essential for keeping your teeth strong.
.Potatoes. One of the hardest parts of following a soft food diet is the lack of variety. Potatoes have a soft texture and can be prepared in a variety of ways, making them an excellent choice for the weeks following your implant surgery.
.Fish, chicken and ground beef. After the first week, you can start slowly reintroducing meat into your diet. Opt for softer options such as fish, chicken and ground beef and chop finely to add to salads or pasta.
.Other soft foods. Feel free to indulge in soft fruits like bananas or peaches, eat steamed vegetables, soft bread, pasta, oatmeal and more.
Foods to Avoid After Dental Implant Surgery
Avoid the following foods for the first few weeks after surgery to avoid damaging your new implant:
.Crispy foods like chips and popcorn
.Hard foods such as certain fruits and vegetables
.Chewable foods such as bagels and gummies
.Sticky foods like fudge and caramel
.Acidic foods such as tomatoes and oranges
.Spicy foods such as salsa and chili peppers
.Very hot foods and drinks, such as soup or coffee
Adequate Nutrition After Implant Surgery
Getting Adequate Nutrition After Implant Surgery: Protein Supplements You will be incredibly excited to return to your normal diet after your dental implant procedure. However, it is important that you eat appropriate foods and follow our recommendations at every stage of your healing process.
Eat regularly. While you are recovering from dental implant surgery, it is very important to eat and drink regularly as it will help you heal faster and feel better overall. It will also give you more nutrients and energy.
Add protein supplements. Many of our patients have trouble getting enough protein. For this reason, we usually recommend adding protein supplements to your diet.
Stick to the post-dental implant diet. The first few days after surgery can be somewhat uncomfortable, so it’s important to follow a gentle dental implant recovery diet to make sure you don’t aggravate your healing process.
If you have diabetes, check your sugar often. Maintain your regular eating habits and monitor your glucose levels. This is important to prevent diabetes-related complications and prevent infection.