After a dental implant surgery patients should stick to the following diet recommendations for a good recovery. It’s important to avoid any foods that may physically disrupt the implant or cause discomfort.
- The first thing to take under consideration is the importance of not skipping meals, getting the nutrition your body needs is key to gaining strength, feeling better and faster. If you have a special diet requirement related to a medical condition, like for example being a diabetic, you should keep those eating habits or follow instructions that your specialist prescribe.
- It is best to start from soft and liquid food to then progress into solids over a few days. Keeping hydrated is key. While some doctors advise to stick only with liquids or pureed foods like ice cream, soups, puddings, yogurt, milk shakes, for the first few days, that it’s not a requirement.
- On the day of the surgery drinking plenty of fluids (up to 2 quarts of liquid per day) and avoiding hot liquids or hot food because they will promote bleeding and swelling.
- Extremely hot food is also something to stay away from and patients shouldn’t use a straw for the first few days after surgery.
- Avoiding drinking any alcoholic beverages
- Avoid smoking
Comfort is very important at this point, eating should not be a painful experience for the patient, so choosing the right food can vary from one person to the other but general rules still apply. Recovering patients should avoid chewing food until tongue sensation has returned and also stay away from food that may get lodged in the surgical areas like popcorn, rice, sunflower seeds, nuts etc.
Here is a list with a few examples that can help you
- Softer fruits, such as bananas, peaches, nectarines, melons, and all berries are usually good choices
- Avoid hard food: Go for oatmeal and soft cereals, soft bread, rice, grits, or mashed potatoes.
- More water: Staying hydrated is vital to your immune system and overall health, and nothing will keep you hydrated more efficiently than water.
- Fruits and vegetables: Remember to cut them into small pieces first.
- When it comes to vegetables, cooked or steamed vegetables are better like broccoli, carrots, and squash.
- Sauces and soups are the best way to go. Softer fruits like bananas, peaches, nectarines, melons, and all berries are good as well.
- Protein: eggs, fish and seafood, and beans are safe, and also dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese. Other alternatives include couscous and quinoa, while being a wheat and grain.
More ideas for a speedy recovery:
- Macaroni and cheese, soft bread, baked or mashed potatoes.
- Scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, applesauce.
- Ground beef, baked or broiled fish, broiled or stewed chicken (finely chopped).
- Cooked cereals, such as oatmeal or cream of wheat, yogurt.
- Juice, water, milk, coffee, tea.
- Puddings, pound cake, milkshakes, ice cream.
- Home cooked broth, bouillon, soups.
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