After having an implanted tooth or teeth, it is important to understand that you will have to be more responsible with your oral care. What can and can’t I do after getting a dental implant? See our article.
Implantation is not limited to a single surgery, it is preceded by a period of preparation and an even longer period of rehabilitation. It is important for the recovery of the body and the healing of the implant to follow the recommendations. The duration of the recovery period and its course depend on their observance.
Nutrition After Implantation
The strictest rules are related to the first day after the procedure. During this time, there is swelling of the gums and cheeks, slight bleeding, pain and discomfort. In the first few hours after surgery, the soft tissues are particularly defenseless against infection, which can lead to more serious complications.
Therefore, in the first 2 hours after implantation it is strictly forbidden to eat or drink. Violation of this prohibition can lead to suture separation or infection, not to mention an increase in pain. It is also important to wait for the anesthesia to wear off and regain sensitivity to avoid accidentally biting your tongue, lip or cheek.
If the implantation took place under general anesthesia, the first meal is allowed no sooner than 4 hours later. In the first 24 hours you can only take liquid food – broth or mashed potatoes, and avoid all chewing. It is necessary to drink as much pure water as possible.
Then you can move on to a soft food – cream soups, cereals, soft boiled or stewed vegetables. This diet should be maintained for the next two to three weeks. But solid foods, the more bread crumbs, chips, nuts should not be used.
Within 2-3 weeks after the procedure you can not eat hot, cold, spicy, too salty or sour foods. Only warm, not too stringy food should be allowed, so that it does not stick to your teeth. But spices and spices should be avoided, as well as alcoholic beverages.
The most important thing is that for the first time you should not chew on the side where the implant was placed, so as not to get an infection and not to overload the implanted post.
Pain After Tooth Implantation
Pain and swelling in the first few days after surgery are normal. To relieve pain, you can take pain medications. These are non-narcotic analgesics, but a specific drug is prescribed by the doctor taking into account the clinical picture and individual characteristics of the patient. It is strictly forbidden to prescribe painkillers yourself.
Additionally, you can apply a cold compress to the cheek – a hot water bottle with cold water or ice. But you can do it no more than 10-15 minutes at a break of 40 minutes. Longer compress can not be kept, so as not to provoke hypothermia and inflammation.
Rinsing the mouth with a special solution will help to relieve or reduce pain, what kind of medicine to use should be clarified with the specialist who performed the implantation.
To speed up the healing process, you can apply a healing ointment to the operated area.
The use of herbal infusions and decoctions is allowed, but only in consultation with the doctor, as certain components can cause allergies and other reactions. Compounds are used to rinse the mouth on an equal basis with antiseptic solutions.
Sleep
In the first few days after implantation, you should not sleep on your side, especially on the side where the surgery was performed.
You should sleep on your back, on a high pillow, so that the blood does not rush to the head and does not cause swelling and bleeding.
In the following weeks you may return to the usual position.
Teeth and Gum Care
On the first day after implantation you should not brush your teeth or rinse your mouth.
After that, you can brush gently with a soft brush, but do not touch the operated area to avoid accidentally damaging the tissue. The implant site itself can be cleaned with a cotton swab soaked in 3% hydrogen peroxide solution.
In addition, you should rinse your mouth several times a day with special antiseptic solutions, especially after meals.
Lifestyle: What You Can and Cannot Do After Dental Implantation
In general, the placement of implants is not a reason to abandon your usual lifestyle. However, there are a number of restrictions:
- Complete renunciation of smoking, alcohol, coffee, sweet soda;
- Renunciation of sports training – cardio and power, jogging, squats and other exercises;
- Visiting saunas, baths, taking hot baths, and spending a long time in the heat and sun is completely prohibited;
- being out in the cold for too long;
- for the first few weeks it is necessary to refuse to swim, both in the pool and in open water;
- Avoid draughts to prevent colds – sneezing or blowing your nose is highly discouraged during the rehabilitation period, as it could dislodge the implant.
General mobility, on the contrary, should be increased, walks in the fresh air will also be beneficial. Spending a lot of time in a supine position, on the contrary, is not allowed.
To accelerate healing, you can take vitamins and mineral complexes.
What Is Strictly Forbidden to Do After a Tooth Implantation
Despite the abundance of recommendations, there are a number of things that fall under the categorical prohibition, these are:
- smoking and drinking alcohol;
- Taking medications that are not prescribed by the doctor;
- Consuming hard foods – nuts, sunflower seeds, breadcrumbs, snacks;
- Do not touch the operated area with your hands or tongue, especially on the first day after the procedure;
- refuse to take any medications prescribed by a specialist – usually antibiotics are prescribed, they prevent inflammation and rejection of the implant;
- brushing teeth with a stiff brush;
- Heavy physical work and sports.
If you follow these simple rules, the recovery from the implantation will go smoothly, and the implant will safely take root. Otherwise, it is possible to provoke complications, up to and including inflammation and rejection of the artificial tooth, which is fraught not only with a second surgery, but also with additional costs and loss of time.