How Soon After Dental Implants Can I Eat Normally?

Are you considering dental implants to replace missing or damaged teeth?

If so, you’re likely wondering what and when you can eat after your dental implant.

Eating habits play a significant part in your successful recovery, with a total healing time of between 3 and 6 months.

However, most symptoms following your procedure will subside after just 7 to 10 days, during which you’ll need to be extra careful.

With this in mind, we have prepared a guide for the initial recovery period, including how soon after getting a dental implant you can eat normally.

What can I eat after a dental implant?

The first 24 to 48 hours typically require a soft food diet.

Stick with cool to warm liquids – nothing hot.

These are all sensible choices for the initial period of your recovery:

• Boiled or baked fish
• Cakes and ice cream
• Apple sauce, apple butter
• Protein or meal replacement shakes and smoothies
• Yogurt
• Scrambled eggs
• Clear soups and broths
• Pudding

Once the first 24 hours are complete, you can continue with the foods from the above list as well as other soft foods, such as:

• Non-citrus fruits
• Soft fruits
• Cream of wheat or oatmeal
• Jams and jellies

Contact us to schedule an appointment if you are considering dental implants for a cracked, lost, or broken tooth.

How soon after a dental implant can I eat normally?

We can all agree a soft food diet is not much fun for a prolonged period. You’ll probably be eager to return to your old eating habits as soon as possible after dental implants.

Typically, it takes about one week to return to regular eating habits, but some people are faster to heal.

Any food you eat during the healing period should still be easy to chew.

What foods should you avoid after a dental implant?

You will want to avoid the following foods and drinks while your implant site is healing:

• Carbonated drinks
• Raw fruits and vegetables
• Sticky foods like caramel, dried fruit, or gummies
• Spicy foods
• Acidic foods, such as tomatoes and oranges
• Sugary foods, like candy
• Foods served at a hot temperature
• Crunchy, sticky, or abrasive foods, such as seeds, chips, and berries

Dental implant recovery tips

Following your dentist’s aftercare advice is essential to help your recovery during healing.

Avoid foods that are:

• Chewy
• Too hot
• Tough
• Spicy
• Too cold

Avoid carbonated drinks and alcohol, and avoid drinking from a straw, as this could reopen wounds.

Also, avoid smoking for at least a few days after your operation.

Rinse and clean your mouth according to your dentist’s instructions.

Be sure to keep your follow-up appointments with us so we can assess your recovery and determine when your implants are ready for the physical pressure a regular diet brings.

Contact us to schedule an appointment if you’d like to learn more about dental implants.

• Call us at (201) 941-0088
• Email us at contactus@smilesonthehudson.com

We proudly serve the Edgewater, NJ community and surrounding areas.