June 7, 2024
Dental implants provide a second chance at a full, healthy smile. Not only do implants restore your smile aesthetics, but they also return function. However, during the initial recovery process, it is important to follow some basic dietary guidelines and steer clear of any foods that might compromise your results.
Avoid Foods That Irritate and Inflame
First and foremost, it is important to stay away from any foods that could irritate or cause infection at the site of your implant placement. In particular, avoid:
- Foods served at incredibly high temperatures, such as piping hot coffee.
- Foods that have particulate bits that could get lodged in the site of implant placement, such as fruit with seeds, nuts, or crunchy foods.
- Foods that are sticky, such as peanut butter, which could get stuck in sutures.
Avoid Placing Pressure on New Implants
It is also important to avoid chewing on the side of your mouth where you had implants placed, at least until you are fully recovered and given the green light by your provider. To ensure successful implant placement, we advise not placing too much pressure on implants until they have integrated with your jawbone.
Ensure Robust Nutrition
To promote healing, it is vital that you get plenty of vitamins and nutrients in your diet. Drink water, focus on healthy foods, and avoid junk as much as possible.
For the first 48 hours of your recovery, these foods should be soft or liquid-based, allowing you to avoid chewing altogether. Some examples of foods to eat while your dental implants heal include:
- Warm broth
- Hummus
- Pureed and seedless vegetables, fruit, and beans
- Sugar-free plain yogurt (a lot of flavored yogurts either have added sugar or chunks of seeded fruit in it, so stick with plain)
- Protein shakes
After 48 hours, you can move toward foods that can easily be broken apart with your tongue. While you still want to minimize chewing, you can expand your menu to include:
- Mashed potatoes or yams
- Scrambled eggs
- Warm soup
- Beans and tofu
- Soft, seedless fruits like bananas and pears (especially if they are baked to become extra soft)
- Steamed vegetables
After your first week of recovery, you can move on to very soft foods that only require a little chewing to eat. Some options include:
- Fish
- Healthy, non-crunchy snacks
- Seedless vegetables and fruit that are not crunchy
- Meat that is easy to chew
Explore Your Dental Implant Options
The recovery process helps dental implants successfully fuse into your jaw, which is what makes implants a reliable tooth replacement option. If you have any additional questions about dental implant placement or recovery, schedule a consultation with Advanced Implant and Periodontal Specialists. Before your consultation, please read our dental implant page for more information about the procedure.
