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Eating the right foods after dental implant surgery is essential to ensure a smooth recovery. If you are scheduled for dental implant surgery, you may be wondering: What can I eat after dental implant surgery?
In this blog post, we will discuss why what you eat is important and provide a list of 50 soft food choices to make your post-surgery recovery stress-free.
Table of Contents
- Why Soft Foods are Important after Oral Surgery
- 50 Soft Foods to Enjoy after Your Dental Implant Surgery
- Do Not Make These 5 Mistakes
- Dental Implants in Boulder, CO
Why Soft Foods are Important after Oral Surgery
Following dental implant surgery, your mouth and gums will be sensitive, swollen and tender. Soft foods allow you to consume your daily calories without causing any harm to the surgery site. Eating hard, crunchy, or chewy foods can cause discomfort and disrupt the healing process.
Not all soft foods are equal!
Choose foods that are nutrient-dense, like smoothies, soups and soft cooked vegetables. Make sure to eat adequate protein, as it is crucial for tissue repair and healing. Treat yourself to some ice cream or frozen yogurt, but don’t overindulge in these sweet treats. Opt for low-sugar options, or try making your own using seedless fruit and natural sweeteners.
50 Soft Foods to Enjoy after Your Dental Implant Surgery
Here is a list of 50 soft foods that are gentle on your mouth and support your recovery:
- Homemade popsicles using unsweetened juice
- Cottage cheese
- Mashed potatoes
- Applesauce
- Pureed soups (avoiding spicy and hot options)
- Steamed or cooked vegetables
- Baked beans (make sure they aren’t too hot)
- Cream of wheat
- Soft bread (avoiding crusty or chewy options)
- Pudding
- Hummus
- Yogurt (Greek yogurt is a great high-protein option)
- Scrambled eggs
- Oatmeal
- Smoothies (with protein powder for added nutrition)
- Avocado
- Ground chicken
- Macaroni and cheese
- Fish (baked or steamed)
- Jello
- Custard
- Cooked cereal
- Polenta
- Pancakes
- Grits
- Rice
- Cooked pasta
- Soft fruits (such as bananas and canned fruit)
- Nut butters (almond, peanut, cashew)
- Poached or cooked eggs
- Soft cheese (ricotta, brie, camembert)
- Homemade frozen yogurt with seedless fruit and greek yogurt
- Tofu
- Cooked quinoa
- Risotto
- Mashed sweet potatoes
- Vegetable souffle
- Sherbet
- Cottage pie or shepherd’s pie
- Creamed spinach
- Baba ganoush
- Cooked lentils
- Chicken or egg salad (finely minced)
- Vegetable purees
- Soft croissants
- Roasted pumpkin
- Gazpacho (chilled, pureed tomato soup)
- Meatloaf (finely minced)
- Porridge
- Ham and bean soup
Prepare Ahead of Time
In addition to knowing what foods you can eat during recovery, it’s essential to plan and prepare in advance. Stock up on soft food options before your surgery so that you have everything you need when you come home. This will save you unnecessary stress and allow you to focus on resting and recovering.
You may also want to prepare some meals in advance or ask a friend or family member to help with cooking during your recovery period. Remember, the more prepared you are, the smoother your recovery will be.
Tips for a Speedy Recovery
Now that we have talked about what you can eat, let’s touch on things you can do to speed up your recovery.
- Gradually reintroduce your favorite foods into your diet as your mouth heals.
- Avoid using a straw for at least a week to prevent dislodging of the blood clot.
- Be mindful of hot or spicy foods that can irritate the surgical site.
- Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and aid in the healing process.
- Follow all post-surgery instructions provided by your dental team.
Remember that everyone’s healing process is different. Listen to your body and adjust as needed. Next, we’ll provide some additional guidance on mistakes to avoid during recovery.
Do Not Make These 5 Mistakes
During your recovery, we encourage you to rest, relax and take advantage of the opportunity to put your feet up! It can be tempting to carry on with your regular routine, but your body needs this time of rest to recover.
Here are 5 mistakes to avoid during recovery:
- Smoking: Smoking hinders the healing process as it restricts blood flow to the surgical site, delaying recovery and increasing the risk of complications. It’s advisable to quit smoking before your surgery and avoid it entirely during the recovery period. We recommend waiting 4 weeks post-surgery before resuming smoking. For more information, read The Impact of Smoking on Dental Implants: Why Quitting Is Essential.
- Not completing the full course of antibiotics: We will prescribe antibiotics to help prevent infection. Make sure to take the full course of antibiotics, even if you start feeling better. Not completing the full course can increase the risk of infection.
- Resuming strenuous exercise too soon: While it’s essential to stay active during your recovery, strenuous activities like weight lifting or intense cardio can disrupt the healing process and increase swelling and pain. It’s best to avoid these activities for the few days after surgery and gradually resume them as you feel more comfortable.
- Ignoring oral hygiene: Good oral hygiene is crucial to prevent infection and promote healing after dental implant surgery. Even though your mouth will be tender, you should brush and floss your teeth the night of surgery. Avoid the surgery site and be gentle when cleaning around the surgical areas. Continue with your regular oral hygiene routine, brushing twice a day and flossing at least once a day. Use the Chlorhexidine mouthwash prescribed twice a day, after breakfast and before bed, until it’s gone.
- Ignoring post-op instructions: We will provide you with detailed post-operative instructions. It is very important that you follow these instructions carefully. Have a look at them before your surgery so that you know what to expect. We carefully wrote these instructions so that you have the best chance of recovering from your surgery and getting the best possible result from your dental implant.
Dental Implants in Boulder, CO
If you are considering dental implant surgery or have any additional questions about the recovery process, please don’t hesitate to contact our team at Foley & Le Oral Surgery. We are dedicated to providing personalized care and support during your journey towards a healthy and functional smile.
If you are searching for the ‘best dental implant specialist near me’, call (303) 444-2255 or complete the online booking form to book an appointment with Dr. Benjamin Foley, Dr. Thao Le, or Dr. Daniel. B. Foley.
Happy healing!
