Today’s patients have been successfully receiving modern dental implants for over 30 years. In fact, approximately 3 million people in the U.S. have implants, and that number is growing annually by nearly a half-million people.1 Why? Well, once you have implants, you quickly learn how they can truly change your life. Implants ultimately give you the healthy and happy smile that you deserve, especially when your implant surgery is performed professionally.
What to Avoid After Oral Surgery
If you’ve recently had an oral surgeon install dental implants, you’re probably still adjusting to your new teeth. However, since Thanksgiving and the Holiday season is here, it’s best to know what foods you can and cannot enjoy.
After any kind of oral surgery, your dental practitioner will provide you with aftercare instructions. Your ability to follow these post-op instructions is crucial to your ultimate implant success. As such, it’s important that you not eat foods that are extremely hard, sticky, or too crunchy after surgery. Patients should also avoid candies, popcorn, and extremely tough meats that take extra work to chew. The excess pressure that you put on your teeth and gums could limit or halt the healing process.
Surgeons will consequently recommend that you eat soft foods if you’ve just received implants. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t eat anything during Thanksgiving dinner. It only means that while your jaw bone and gums are healing, it’s best that you take it easy on your mouth for a short period.
What You Can Eat After Dental Implant Surgery
Once your gums heal after implant surgery, you can virtually enjoy all the foods you had with your natural teeth. This is because dental implants function just like your natural teeth, and your body accepts the implants like teeth.
Fortunately for you, Turkey Day is actually filled with delicious foods and treats you can still enjoy with implants. As long as meats are made extra tender and juicy for soft chewing, you can enjoy them to the fullest. Â In addition to turkey, even with dental implants, you can enjoy the following Thanksgiving dishes:
- Mashed potatoes
- Green bean casserole
- Cranberry sauce
- Sweet potatoes
- Cornbread
- Various fresh baked desserts
- Stuffing
- Brussel sprouts
- Ham
- Corn
- Broccoli
- Cooked carrots
- Macaroni and cheese
After your big Thanksgiving feast, like you typically care for your teeth, you should always brush and rinse after meals. When patients don’t continue practicing good oral hygiene, they still run the risk of damaging their natural teeth and new implants.
Enjoying Your New Teeth
Implants, as opposed to dentures, will remain inside your mouth all day every day. And fortunately, with implants, you won’t ever have to worry about teeth coming loose in your mouth while you’re enjoying meals. Dentures often come loose during meals and can cause all sorts of embarrassment. However, with implants, you can enjoy your new teeth with confidence.
Did you also know that dental implants have a 99% success rate and can last for more than 50 years? Keep in mind, however, that like natural teeth, you should take excellent care of your implants. Routine dental care consists of brushing, flossing, and rinsing twice daily, and having regular dental exams.
Are You Still Missing Out on Delicious Meals?
If you’re a person who has one or more missing teeth, you know the significance of living with a limited diet. For instance, there are roughly 120 million Americans who are missing one or more teeth.2 The main concern that dental patients with missing teeth have is they want to confidently be able to eat delicious foods again.
Fortunately, implants are a very real and viable solution to missing teeth. With implants, you can eat any kind of healthy food and fully enjoy Holiday meals again. The experienced oral and maxillofacial surgeons of OMSH are readily available to address these types of real concerns. Let us help you regain that healthy and confident smile.
If you live in the Greater Houston area and are curious about dental implants, consult with our professional oral surgeons. Connect with OMSH today by calling us at 832-509-4505.
