Ten Things to Avoid After Dental Implant Surgery
After your dental implants are placed, you will need to stick to a soft diet for a week and follow the post-operative instructions provided by our office. The most important thing is to keep the mouth clean, avoid irritating the surgical site, and protect your mouth. There are also some things you must avoid, protecting your dental implants until the area is completely healed, particularly during the first week following surgery.
- Avoid touching the implant area. Poking or prodding with your fingers or tongue can dislodge any protective blood clots and contaminate the area with bacteria from your hands.
- Don’t spit the first 24-48 hours. It’s tempting to spit out any blood or extra fluids, but you could dislodge the blood clot. Lean over your sink and let any fluids drain out of your mouth.
- Do not rinse too vigorously. After the first 24 hours, you can gently rinse your mouth with warm (not hot!) saltwater, but do so gently and let the water drain out of your open mouth. Do not spit it out.
- Avoid physical exertion and exercise for at least a week. Take it easy and avoid jogging, roughhousing with your kids, and going to the gym. Strenuous activities can contribute to inflammation and increase bleeding and pain.
- Avoid hot food and drinks for at least a week after surgery, as the heat can inflame and irritate the surgical site. During the first 24 hours, you may burn your mouth while the area is still numb.
- Eliminate crunchy, hard, sticky, spicy, acidic, and chewy foods for at least a week after surgery. You will be more comfortable and protect the dental implant sites if you limit yourself to soft, creamy foods.
- Anything that creates suction in the mouth should be avoided for the first week. Do not use a drinking straw for the first week, as the suction can dislodge the blood clots protecting the surgery site. The same goes for smoking, which requires a sucking motion.
- Do not drink alcohol for at least three weeks following dental implant surgery or while using narcotics. Alcoholic beverages can trigger bleeding and slow the healing process.
- Do not smoke. Smoking is the number one cause of dental implant failure because it inhibits the integration of the implants with the jawbone and slows healing. We suggest you quit smoking several weeks or even months before implant placement.
For more detailed information on what to do and what to avoid following dental implant placement, check out our After Implant Placement page. Although the list of “Don’ts” seems long, they are meant to protect your health, encourage healing, and prevent implant failure. Once the area has healed and your permanent restorations are in place, we are confident you will feel the process was worth it!
To schedule your dental implant consultation with Dr. Szutz, contact our office at Alaska Oral Surgery Group Office Phone Number 907-278-5678 or fill out our Appointment Request form.
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