Preventing Dental Implant Complications: Tips for Success

Having missing teeth will suck the life out of your smile. Thankfully, we have dental implants in Surrey, BC, which can replace any number of missing teeth. Several issues begin showing up whenever you have missing teeth, such as difficulty chewing, speech problems, bone loss, and much more. We must remember that you have poor dental aesthetics!

However, getting dental implants could be the best decision you’d ever make concerning your oral health. With dental implants, you can replace your entire tooth, including tooth roots. Even though nothing beats having your teeth, dental implants do a fine job.

The only issue is that you need to treat implants well for them to serve you for a lifetime. That’s why our dentist near you has come up with some tips to help you navigate the post-surgery phase.

What to Avoid After Implant Placement

Once you have come out of surgery and have your implant, you could be tempted to eat some of your comfort food. But giving in to your cravings could deter you from healing as expected. Remember that the implants are surgically inserted into your jawbone, meaning they will need some time to heal.

Therefore, you have to give your jawbone and gums some rest and go easy on them so that they heal. So, you have to limit your eating until you get better. Some of the foods you need to avoid are:

• Acidic foods such as tomatoes or oranges since they cause a burning sensation in your healing gums due to their high acidic content
• Spicy foods such as salsa or chili peppers because these foods cause inflammation, pain, or discomfort
• Tough foods such as raw vegetables and steak, which need a lot of biting and chewing force and can cause pain and even impede your healing
• Very hot foods, beverages, or soups can hurt your gums.
• Chewy or sticky foods such as bagels, caramel, or gummy bears because they have a knack for getting stuck between your teeth
• Crunchy foods such as chips, popcorn, or nuts can get lodged between your teeth and lead to inflammation or can be difficult to chew, leading to pain and discomfort.

What to Eat After Getting Implants

Your jaws, teeth, and gums will be delicate after our implant dentist places the dental implants near you. That means you must be careful, especially the first seven days after your surgery. Some of the foods that you can enjoy during this time are:

• Cold soups will be better alternatives since you cannot take hot liquids, so soups such as gazpacho can come in handy.
• Applesauce – apples are crunchy, so you might not be able to enjoy them, but you are free to enjoy applesauce since it is packed with nutrients and will not harm your gums.
• Smoothies – are another excellent way to go since they don’t require chewing and are nutritious and filling.

As your jawbone heals, you can introduce some solid foods such as:

• Pasta, rice, and soft bread since these foods will help get your energy levels up and will not harm your healing jawbone and gums
• Ground beef, chicken, and fish since they are packed with nutrients and are soft enough not to hurt you
• Potatoes are a huge plus since they are soft and versatile, which means that you can prepare them in several ways and still get the most out of them.
• Yogurt, milk, and cheese, among other dairy products, are key in healing because they contain proteins and calcium.

How to Clean Your Implants

One of the main reasons for implant failure is poor oral hygiene. Poor oral hygiene encourages bacteria to accumulate around the gum line, which could lead to infection. Therefore, if you wish to see your implants serve you for a long time, do the following:

• Floss every day with implant-specific floss
• Brush along the gum line to remove food debris and plaque
• Brush after meals with a low-abrasive toothpaste
• Use a nylon interdental brush to help you clean the hard-to-reach areas
• Invest in a good mouthwash that you can use after a month or so

Quit Smoking

Smoking is a great hindrance to the success of dental implants. Tobacco inhibits healing, so you cannot expect your implants to last long.

Dental implants near you are an effective treatment that can help restore your smile. That’s why it’s best to do as instructed by our dentist. We are here for you, so contact us at King George Dental Centre to get the help you need.