Are you getting dental implants soon? If so, you’re probably excited to have a complete smile and the ability to chew delicious foods again. However, it’s understandable to be a bit unsure of what the post-op recovery process looks like. After placing dental implants, your dentist will give you detailed aftercare instructions on what to do to ensure smooth and speedy healing. But do you know which things you shouldn’t do? Here are five things you should avoid after dental implant surgery.
1. Smoking
The reason why dental implants last so long is their ability to fuse with your jawbone. This process, called osseointegration, can take several months. That said, smoking or chewing tobacco during the initial healing period slows your body’s healing rate, which may prevent osseointegration from occurring at all. If you’re having trouble quitting smoking, your implant dentist can come up with a plan to help you kick the habit.
2. Using a Straw
Following your procedure, a blood clot will form over the implant site as it heals. The suction of drinking through a straw can dislodge this clot, resulting in an intensely painful condition called dry socket. Avoid straws for at least three days.
3. Vigorous Rinsing
For a similar reason, you should refrain from rinsing and spitting too forcefully for the first couple of days. Instead, clean your mouth by gently swishing with mouthwash or warm saltwater. When you’re done, don’t spit it out – stand over the sink and let it naturally flow out of your mouth.
4. Eating Hot or Hard Foods
As with any oral surgery, you should stick to a soft food diet after getting dental implants. Eating foods that are too hot, spicy, or hard can aggravate the implant site, hindering the healing process. Give your mouth a few days to heal before gradually adding heartier foods to your diet. Once you progress to more solid foods, try to chew on the opposite side of your mouth as the implant.
5. Strenuous Exercise
You should take it easy for the first two or three days after your dental implant surgery. Avoid vigorous exercise so that your body can focus on healing. Additionally, too much physical activity during this period can cause bleeding around the implant site, as it increases blood flow throughout the body. Get the green light from your dentist before you start exercising.
After getting dental implants, make sure to follow your dentist’s aftercare guidelines to a tee. By doing so, you’ll have a fully healed smile before you know it!
About the Practice
At Michelsen Dental, our team is able to handle every step of the dental implant process in one convenient location in Orange, CA. Our lead dentist, Dr. Renu Michelsen, partners with our in-house oral surgeon, Dr. Kiet Minh Tran, to ensure your replacement teeth are lifelike and the treatment is safe and effective. We’re happy to provide personalized dental implant post-op instructions to ensure a full recovery. For further questions, you can reach out to us by calling 714-538-1178.
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