Unlike any other tooth replacement option, dental implants rebuild missing teeth both above and below the gumline. As you may imagine, this requires a slightly more involved process that includes minor oral surgery. Once your dental implants are in place, it’s important that you follow the right steps to keep your new smile safe as it heals. Here are five things you should avoid doing to ensure your recovery period goes as quickly and smoothly as possible after getting dental implants in Sagamore Hills.
1.) Use a Straw
After your surgery, it’s important that you drink plenty of liquids to stay hydrated. However, don’t drink them through a straw! Using a straw creates suction in your mouth that can dislodge the blood clot around your surgical site, which can slow down your healing process and leave you vulnerable to infection. Avoid using a straw while you drink your water, milkshakes, smoothies, and other post-surgery beverages.
2.) Eat Hard, Spicy, or Hot Foods
After surgery, it’s important to stick to a diet of nutritious soft and mild foods. Hard foods can potentially damage your mouth while you heal, and spicy or hot foods will irritate the tissues around your dental implant. Stick to bland foods like eggs, mashed potatoes, applesauce, and yogurt at first. You can begin adding more foods into your daily diet as you start to feel better.
3.) Participate in Strenuous Activities
For at least the first 24-72 hours after your dental implant surgery, avoid strenuous activity like intense exercising, moving heavy furniture, or similar activities. The extra blood pressure could cause your surgical site to start bleeding, which would slow down your healing process. Take plenty of time to rest to allow your body to heal from dental implant surgery.
4.) Rinse Your Mouth Forcefully
You’ll also need to rinse your mouth out with water, saltwater, or a special mouthwash from your dentist after your dental implant surgery. This will help keep the area clean and free of infection, but be careful It is important that you do not rinse or spit for the first day following your dental implant surgery. After the first day, you’ll need to rinse your mouth out with water, saltwater, or a special mouthwash from your dentist. This will help keep the area clean and free of infection. When rinsing, don’t swish vigorously or spit out forcefully, as this could irritate the tissues around your dental implants and end up doing more harm than good. When you rinse your mouth out, be thorough but gentle.
5.) Use Tobacco Products
It’s absolutely essential that you refrain from using tobacco products for the first couple of days after your dental implant surgery. It is beneficial if one can stop, or limit usage for a few days prior to dental implant placement as well. The longer you can avoid using tobacco products pre- and post-surgery, the better off you are. Tobacco slows down your natural healing ability, which leaves you susceptible to serious infections and can even interfere with the osseointegration process. If you use tobacco, now is the perfect opportunity to quit! Talk with your doctor or dentist for resources on how to quit tobacco. Your smile and quality of life will thank you.
Rebuilding your smile with dental implants may be a more involved process than dentures or dental bridges, but the extra time and effort is well worth it. By not doing the five things above and following your dentist’s instructions carefully, your dental implants will last for years to come.
About the Practice
At Greenwood Dental, our experienced team is proud to care for the smiles of Sagamore Hills and the surrounding communities with the best dental care available. This includes state-of-the-art dental implant treatment all completed right here in-office, so we’ll be with you every step of the way on your journey towards your new smile! If you have more questions about after dental implant surgery, feel free to reach us online or at (330) 467-2522.