How Soon Can I Eat After Dental Implants?
If you’re considering dental implants to replace missing or damaged teeth, you’re likely also wondering when and what you can eat after your dental implant procedure.
With a total healing time of between 3 to 6 months, your eating habits play a significant part in your success.
The initial 7 to 10 days after the procedure require specific dietary care, since you need to avoid disturbing the healing process (or aggravating symptoms of discomfort).
With this in mind, we have prepared a quick guide for the initial recovery period, especially where food is concerned.
What Can You Eat after Getting a Dental Implant?
During the first 24-48 hours:
The first 24 to 48 hours typically require a soft food diet.
Stick with cool to warm liquids, nothing hot.
These are all safe and healthy choices for the initial period of your recovery:
- Clear soups and broths
- Protein or meal replacement shakes and smoothies
- Cakes and ice cream
- Yogurt
- Pudding
- Apple sauce, apple butter
- Scrambled eggs
- Boiled or baked fish
After the first 24 hours, you can eat all the foods from the above list as well as other soft foods, like the following:
- Cream of wheat or oatmeal
- Jams and jellies
- Non-citrus fruits
- Melons, peaches, pears, and bananas are easy to mash or crush into a smoothie
How Soon after a Dental Implant Can You Eat Normally?
Let’s face it; a soft food diet is not much fun for a prolonged period. Patients are eager to return to their old eating habits as soon as possible after dental implants.
Typically, it takes about one week to return to regular eating habits, but some patients are faster to heal.
Food consumed during the whole healing period should still be easy to chew. For example, you’ll want to avoid steaks – instead, choose options like chicken, tofu, beans, legumes, or ground beef for protein.
Foods to Avoid after Getting a Dental Implant
While your implant site is healing, you’ll want to avoid the following foods and drinks:
- Any food or drink that involves a straw (the pressure of sucking or spitting hard can reopen wounds)
- Carbonated drinks
- Sticky foods like caramel, dried fruit, or gummies
- Sugary foods, like candy
- Crunchy, sticky, or abrasive foods, such as seeds, chips, and berries
- Acidic foods, such as tomatoes and oranges
- Spicy foods
- Hot foods
- Raw fruits and vegetables
Dental Implant Recovery Tips
While you’re recovering, it’s important to follow your Federal Way dentist‘s aftercare advice. In general, however, you can sum up your dietary considerations as follows:
- Eat soft, cool foods.
- Avoid foods that are:
- Too cold
- Too hot
- Chewy
- Tough
- Spicy
- Avoid carbonated drinks, alcohol, or drinking from a straw.
- Also, avoid smoking for at least a few days after your operation.
Contact us to schedule an appointment if you are considering dental implants for a cracked, lost, or broken tooth.
- Call us at 253-839-5953
- Email us directly at office@laserdentistrywa.com
Our office is located in Federal Way, WA. We also serve surrounding communities in SeaTac, Des Moines, Auburn, Kent, Edgewood, and Browns Point.
