Are you about to get a dental implant in Edina? Then you likely have lots of questions about how to properly care for it and ensure it will heal nicely! 

Don’t worry, Dr. Marwa will provide you with the best recommendations for at-home care to help you, which will also include tips on what types of foods you should be eating right after the procedure.

Foods You Can Eat After Dental Implant Surgery

As a general rule, after you get a dental implant, you should opt for softer foods that don’t require lots of chewing. For the first day following the procedure, Dr. Marwa will recommend eating only liquids or very soft foods such as purees. Since your mouth will still be numb after the surgery for a few hours, chewing on food puts you at risk of accidentally biting on your tongue – and not realizing it.

So for the first 2-3 days after the procedure, think about eating:

• Soups
• Purees
• Smoothies
• Stews
• Yogurt
• Ice cream
• Puddings 

After that, you should slowly start to introduce harder foods into your diet, but still not go for things like nuts or crackers.

The next stage should still contain softer foods, such as:

• Pasta
• Pancakes
• Rice
• Bread (soft)
• Eggs
• Cooked vegetables
• Soft fruits like bananas

As your implant site heals, you will be about to introduce more fiber and chewing back into your diet. Usually, people normally resume most of their eating habits around 2 weeks after getting the dental implant surgery. However, the healing process isn’t the same for everyone, so it’s important to be mindful of your body and consider what it needs.

Other Things You Can Do to Support Healing After Dental Implant Surgery

As you know, the healing process after getting a dental implant can take even as long as 6 months, even more for some patients. This is because the process of osseointegration, during which the bone fuses to the metal root of the implant, will need more time to heal than the soft tissue (the gums).

Here are some things you can do to support healing:

• Chew on the other side of your mouth for the first 1-2 weeks after getting the implant 
• Gently cleanse the mouth with saline water or gentle mouthwash the 1-2 days after the procedure;
• You can brush your teeth, but don’t brush over the implant site;
• Maintain good oral hygiene habits throughout the entire healing process;
• Stop smoking and avoid other tobacco products;
• Take it easy the first 1-2 days after the procedure and avoid physically challenging activities

Interested in Dental Implants? We Can Help!

If you’re wondering whether dental implants are right for you, Edina dentist Dr. Marwa is here to help you find out.

Book an appointment at Mint Dental online to get started, or call our office at (952) 831-1332 for more information.