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Missing or failing teeth may make it difficult to enjoy your favorite foods but are you much better off with dental implants? The list of foods to avoid after dental implants may surprise you.
Here’s the list
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That’s right. You don’t need to avoid anything once your dental implants have completely integrated and your mouth has healed.
If you’re used to pain and difficulty when it comes to eating, dental implants are a total game changer.
They restore your oral function and once completely healed, allow you to eat all your favorite foods without pain
However, your diet during the healing process is very important to stick to! Michelle, a dental implant patient who has had her new teeth for years, shares everything she learned about foods to avoid after dental implants in this interview:
See if you may be a candidate for permanent teeth in 24 hours with this 60-second quiz
What Can You Eat After Dental Implant Surgery?
At Nuvia, you’ll get your permanent teeth 24 hours after dental implant surgery. Even though you’ll have your permanent teeth right away, there is still a healing period for your mouth and jaw after getting dental implants.
The healing period is usually around 4 months and does require patients to stick to a soft food diet.
Many dental implant patients who previously couldn’t eat without pain feel that the soft food diet gives them even more options of foods they can eat than they had before.
Soft Food Diet
In her interview, Michelle describes it as a “plastic fork diet.” If you can cut it with a plastic fork, you can probably eat it.
Here are examples of foods that are typically safe during the healing phase:
Protein shakes: These provide essential nutrients and are easy to consume without chewing.
Mashed potatoes and gravy: Comfort food that’s easy to eat and filling.
Well-cooked vegetables: Soft and tender, making them easy to chew or mash.
Soups and broths: Ensure they’re not very hot. Hot drinks and soups can be irritating or may even slow the healing process.
Yogurt, pudding, and applesauce: Smooth and gentle on your healing gums.
Michelle emphasized the importance of following your dentist’s instructions on foods to avoid after dental implants during this phase.
“It’s imperative to eat what the doctor says so you can have strong implants that stay strong,” she shared.
What is Eating with Dental Implants Actually Like?
When asked what it’s like to eat with dental implants, Michelle says “It's a hundred percent real better. I love these way more than my other reality. These are so good.”
She goes on to describe how she couldn’t eat certain foods like apples with her natural teeth. Dental implants and permanent teeth made that possible again.
“Before I got my implant from Nuvia, I had to sit there and chew with just the broken down front teeth I had on the front. Anything was just right there on those front teeth. I had nothing in the back. And so putting the food back into my teeth and chewing, it's the most amazing sensation ever, and you taste your food so differently.
Michelle continues, “and you get to process all these different flavors that you would have missed if you only chewed a little bit and then swallowed, hopefully not choking because you can't break it down. You get to savor literally savor the flavor. And it's so amazing, and it's just you digest it easier and you chew. Chewing is so enjoyable when you've had so many years of not being able to do it.”
Even if there are some foods to avoid after dental implants during the first few months, they significantly improve oral function and can make eating a much more enjoyable experience.
What’s Similar or Different Since Having Dental Implants?
One major difference Michelle highlighted is that she no longer has to worry about cavities or broken teeth. Because dental implants are made of zirconia, they are incredibly durable and don’t decay like natural teeth.
While the maintenance of dental implants is similar to caring for natural teeth—brushing, flossing, and using tools like a Waterpik—it’s much simpler than maintaining dentures.
Michelle recalls, “The maintenance on implants is so much easier than the dentures. I grew up in a family where everybody had dentures. I would go into the bathroom and my mothers would be floating in the cup.”
She continued to describe the uncomfortable and ineffective glue her mom had to use and the problems that came with dentures.
Permanent Teeth in 24 Hours
Not only does Michelle have a permanent solution to missing or failing teeth, she was able to get her permanent teeth 24 hours after her dental implants were placed.
Traditional processes of getting dental implants have patients wear temporary teeth for what may be up to 10+ months before they’re wearing their permanent smile.
Imagine adjusting to each set of temporary teeth only to have to adjust to the permanent set all over again.
At Nuvia, your experience is different. You’re taken care of by a team that includes an oral surgeon, restorative dentists, a dedicated CRNA, and other friendly staff that is committed to helping you get the smile you’ve always wanted.
Are you ready to start eating the foods you love again? Take the 60-second quiz to see if you may be eligible for dental implants.
