What Food Can I Eat After Dental Implant Surgery?

Dental implants are perfect replacements for avulsed teeth that are surgically positioned in the mouth specifically into the jawbone beneath your gums. Wrong food intake after a dental implant surgery can be very uncomfortable and bad for tooth recovery. During this period, your dental implants are adapting to their new role. They are not yet strong enough to chew crunchy and hard foods. It is advisable to temporarily change your diet to contain softer foods for better and quicker recovery. This change should last for at least three months.

Immediately after a surgery, you should stay away from hot drinks and foods. Moreover, using a straw should also be avoided for approximately 24 hours. This is to give your teeth a conducive environment to heal.

Proteins

While meat is a great source of protein in one`s diet, chewing will prove to be painful and difficult after a dental implant surgery. Protein foods you should eat instead include:

• Whatever method you decide to cook your eggs, be it scrambled, boiled or omelets, eggs will always remain soft. They are a great source of protein and go well with almost any type of food you eat with. It could be vegetables or cheese.
• Beans are also another alternative to protein-rich foods that should be considered during the healing process. Beans are soft foods that can easily be chewed and swallowed. They are good for both elderly and young children.
• Fish is a great source of proteins but with fish, it depends on the method used to prepare it. Smoked fish is crunchy therefore its not advisable but freshly fried fish is soft and easy on the teeth.
• One can always go for soup made from chopped meat cubes. They still have the protein nutrients in them.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are essential in our diet.

• Cheese. You will never go wrong with cheese as a softer food and a source of carbohydrates. You can select soft cheeses such as brie or you may opt to melt harder cheeses.
• Cooked Cereal. Cooked oatmeal, wheat and oat bran can be a good alternative for carbohydrate-rich foods. They turn into very soft foods and can easily be chewed and swallowed. You may choose to add vanilla and cinnamon into your meal for extra flavor. Rice and noodles are also other cereals that become soft when cooked.
• Soft sweets. They include bread, pies, cakes, pancakes, muffins, etc. These foods are rich in carbohydrates as they are very sugary. They can be bulky but also very soft and easily chewable. However, be careful with the amount of these sugary foods you take as too much may lead to cavities if teeth are not adequately brushed.

Fruits And Vegetables

What better way to supplement your food with soft vegetables and fruits? These rich in vitamin foods will complete the soft balanced diet for the patients during the recovery process. Some of the best fruits during this healing period are berries, ripe bananas, ripe peaches, passion fruits, etc. You can incorporate them with cereals such as oatmeal during breakfast or brunch. Apple sauce and maple sauce is another alternative you can consider.

Although vegetables can be hard, you could always boil or fry to soften them. Others such as zucchini and cauliflower and pumpkin can be smashed for a delicious veggie medley.

Liquid Diet

This goes for all liquids as long as they are not hot. They can be water, fruit juices, milk, coffee, tea, milkshakes, etc. Before trying any diet, it is always advisable to consult with a professional dentist on which foods to take after a dental implant surgery.