Many patients who have had dental implants often find themselves excited at the thought of being able to smile and eat their favorite foods again. However, many patients also feel a little nervous about the recovery period following their dental implant procedure.
For the dental implant procedure to be successful, the dental implants need to fully integrate or fuse with the surrounding bone. The fusing process is known as osseointegration. The process can take around 3 to 6 months. While some people are intimidated by the long recovery period, it’s not as bad as some people think.
You can make your dental implant procedure recovery faster and easier by keeping the following recovery tips in mind:
Tip #01: Get sufficient rest.
One of the best things you can do to help your body heal faster is to get enough rest. If you are feeling worn down or tired after your dental implant procedure, it is your body’s way of telling you to slow down and get some rest. Pushing and forcing yourself to move is counterproductive and will only delay your healing.
Even when you start to feel better, it is ideal that you avoid doing strenuous activities and any activities that can put you at risk of getting hit in the face. This is important as pushing yourself and getting injured anywhere in your face or mouth can put you at a greater risk of experiencing postoperative complications.
Tip #02: Eat soft and nutritious food.
After your dental implant procedure, you might wonder what you are allowed and not allowed to eat (at least for the time being). In the first 48 hours after the procedure, it is ideal to avoid eating hot or spicy foods since it might cause bleeding or irritate the surgical site.
A few days following your surgery, it is recommended that you eat foods that won’t require too much chewing. Chewing and any jaw movement might cause irritation to the affected site. As your incision heals, you can slowly progress to eating foods that require minimal chewing.
It is also vital that you eat not only soft but nutritious foods as well. Ensuring your body gets the right nutrients can help you heal faster and significantly reduces any risk of postoperative issues. In line with this, consider streaming vegetables so you can consume soft food loaded with nutrients.
Tip #03: Stay hydrated.
Staying hydrated after your procedure is crucial as it helps your body flush out the toxins that can slow down your recovery process. Proper hydration can also help you feel good and energized. Aside from drinking plenty of water, you are also advised to avoid drinking caffeinated and alcoholic beverages.
Avoiding alcohol is also key to faster healing so it should be avoided at least for a minimum of two weeks after the procedure. You need to also avoid using straws when consuming protein shakes and smoothies as it might dislodge the blood clot in the surgical site and cause bleeding.
Tip #04: Practice good oral hygiene.
While they are not the natural teeth, dental implants will still require proper oral hygiene. Fortunately, looking after your dental implants is not rocket science. You just need to care for your implants like you would your natural teeth. This means you brush and floss at least twice daily and visit your dentist regularly.
Tip #05: Rinse with salt water.
Salt water rinses are typically recommended after most types of oral surgeries. Not only will salt water decrease the amount of bacteria that’s inside your mouth without irritating the incision, it can be very soothing as well. You can do salt water rinses up to four times each day, depending on the instructions provided by your dental provider.