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Diet Tips From Dr. Grubb
Once they’re fully healed and integrated with your jawbone, dental implants give you the chewing strength to enjoy all your favorite foods. However, it’s crucial to avoid certain foods for the first few weeks after they’re placed if you want your treatment to succeed.
Explore our guide to learn some helpful tips for your post-surgery diet.
Foods to Avoid
To prevent damaging your implant and setting your treatment back, avoid the following foods for at least a week after implant surgery:
- Tough foods, such as steak and raw vegetables
- Crunchy foods, such as popcorn and chips
- Sticky foods, such as caramel and taffy
- Chewy foods, such as gummies and bagels
- Spicy foods, such as hot peppers and salsa
- Acidic foods, such as oranges and tomatoes
- Very hot foods and liquids, such as coffee and soup
What to Eat the Day After Implant Surgery
After your implant is placed, your teeth and jaw will be in a very delicate state. That’s why it’s crucial to stick to a soft-food diet for the first 24 hours after surgery. To help you plan your meals, Dr. Grubb recommends incorporating the following foods:
- Smoothies — Smoothies are filling, nutritious, and easy to pack with essential vitamins for restored energy. Best of all, smoothies don’t require any chewing, making them an ideal meal option after surgery.
- Applesauce — You won’t be able to bite into an apple at this point in your treatment, but applesauce can provide many of the same nutrients without harming your implant.
- Cold soups — Though it’s essential to avoid hot foods and liquids, you can enjoy cold soups such as gazpacho and more.
When you’re drinking liquids, it’s extremely important to avoid using a straw. The suction force puts pressure on your implant and can interfere with the healing process. You should also refrain from drinking alcohol or smoking for at least a few days.
What to Eat in the Weeks After Implant Surgery
As your jaw continues to heal, you can slowly reintroduce solid foods into your diet. Dr. Grubb recommends choosing meals that are rich in protein and other essential nutrients to speed up your recovery.
Some of the foods he recommends are:
- Eggs/Omelets — Eggs are easy to chew and filled with protein. Mix them with vegetables and make an omelet for a well-balanced meal
- Potatoes — One of the toughest parts of sticking to a soft-food diet is the lack of variety. Potatoes are a very versatile food that can be prepared in several different ways without losing their soft texture.
- Chicken, Fish, and Ground Beef — If you eat meat, Dr. Grubb recommends slowly introducing it back into your diet. Start with softer meats like chicken, fish, and ground beef that can be finely chopped into salads, pastas, and more for a delicious meal.
- Milk/Cheese/Yogurt — Dairy products are loaded with protein and calcium that aid the healing process and help to keep your teeth strong.
Visit Dr. Grubb for Dental Implants
If you have any amount of missing teeth, Dr. Grubb can restore your smile with dental implants. Call our office in Havre de Grace at (410) 939-5800 and schedule your consultation today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it so important to focus on protein intake after dental implant surgery?
Protein is essential during the healing process. Not only is protein necessary to build and repair tissues affected by dental implant surgery, but it also helps the body fight infection. As you recover from dental implant surgery, Dr. Grubb recommends that you eat more protein than you might normally consume so that you can boost your body’s healing abilities.
How do I add protein to a soft-food diet?
When most people think of protein-rich foods, they think of meat and nuts first. Obviously, neither of these foods will be very appealing to someone who has just undergone dental implant surgery! However, there are some easy steps you can take to keep your protein intake high while you focus on soft foods:
Try adding protein powder, avocado, or peanut butter to smoothies
Enjoy some protein-packed eggs or beans
Load up on soft dairy products like yogurt that are rich and protein
In the weeks following your dental implant surgery, you’ll also be able to incorporate meat back into your diet—just be sure to start with softer meats like ground beef, chicken, or fish.
What if I don’t have an appetite after dental implant surgery?
It’s normal for patients who have recently undergone oral surgery to not have much of an appetite. You might also be nervous to eat because you’re concerned that it will be painful or damaging to your mouth. We absolutely understand this, but Dr. Grubb can’t stress enough how important it is that you give your body the fuel it needs to heal while you recover.
Following your dental implant surgery, Dr. Grubb will make sure that your mouth is able to tolerate food, so you don’t need to worry about causing damage to the treated area by eating as long as you adhere to a soft-food diet. You will be given medication to ease your discomfort, and many of our patients actually find soft, cold foods feel good on their delicate gums.
That first day after surgery, you might find that milkshakes (no straw!), ice cream, and yogurt are especially soothing. Focus on soft foods that you love, and add protein wherever you can. Gradually, your appetite should come back and you’ll be able to eat a wider variety of foods.
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