If you have implant surgery coming up, congrats! You’re on your way toward a healthier, more beautiful smile that allows you a variety of benefits. While dental implants do require surgery, they have a success rate of 95% even after 10 years. Once you get them, it’s up to you to follow your dentist’s instructions for recovery. To ensure that your healing period goes as smooth as possible, here are some aftercare tips you can use!
Keep Your Mouth Clean!
The best thing you can do for your recovery is to keep your mouth clean and avoid touching your implant. You can start by cleaning the rest of your smile as normal, but you should avoid the surgical site for the first few days. During the first week, you should rinse your mouth daily with a warm water and salt mixture to promote healing. Additionally, avoid smoking or using tobacco products until your wound is fully healed.
Eat These Foods!
A lot of people don’t know what exactly to eat after implant surgery. It’s best to stick to soft, easy-to-chew foods. Some examples include:
- Mashed potatoes
- Yogurt
- Ice cream
- Pudding
- Soft scrambled eggs
- Pasta
- Not extremely hot soup
Here’s What to Avoid…
Do not eat anything until your local anesthetic has worn off. Initially, avoid extra hot, hard, or crunchy foods because they may damage your implant. You can begin to work these items into your diet as soon as you feel comfortable. Do not swill liquid over the affected area and keep your tongue and fingers away from your implant. Additionally, lay off heavy activity and/or exercise during the first 48 hours. If you have a labor-intensive job, consider taking a few days off work to rest and recover.
Follow Your Instructions for Medication
The implant surgery itself will be much more painless than you’re probably expecting, however some slight soreness and discomfort afterward is completely normal. To manage your pain, follow your dentist’s instructions for medication. Usually, they will prescribe antibiotics and pain medication to help with your recovery. For more mild pain, you can use over-the-counter products like ibuprofen. If your discomfort seems to get worse after three days, contact your dentist right away!
No need to worry about what happens after you get dental implants thanks to these tips. Just remember this useful information to give yourself a smooth, problem-free recovery.
About the Practice
At 21st Century Dental of Irving, our team of dentists work together to offer a wide range of services, including implant placement and restoration, all at the same convenient location. Our top-rated implant dentist will ensure that your implants are successful through careful instructions and follow-up appointments. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us through our website or by phone at (972) 255-3712.