If you are going to be having dental implants put in, the first appointment is going to consist of the implants being put in your gums and jawbone. You may also have stitches in your gums as well. There are some things you can accidentally do that will cause you to experience a great deal of pain after the procedure. You want to make sure you avoid these things. You should also learn about things you can do to help you feel better and heal faster.
Watch what you eat
You will be instructed to stick to foods that require little to no chewing for the first few days after the procedure. However, you will also want to be careful about the temperatures of the foods you decide to eat. Hot foods will cause instant pain to the area and they can cause the site to open back up, prolonging the healing process.
Spicy foods can also cause you to experience a great deal of pain. While you may think it's safe to eat those leftover refried beans because they require very little chewing and you didn't heat them up much, you may want to think again if they are seasoned with jalapeño seasoning or salsa.
Once you start eating solid foods, you want to start slowly. Don't go for anything crunchy like tortilla chips or hard cereal. Instead, start out with things like potato salad, macaroni and cheese or a soft sandwich.
Keep your mouth clean
It's very important that you keep your mouth as clean as possible when you have implants put in. You should make it a point to rinse your mouth with water after you eat or drink anything. Brush your teeth as you normally would, but try not to use a toothpaste that has a sting to it. You also want to be careful what mouthwash you use. Mouthwash that contains alcohol will also hurt the incision area.
Don't do things that can cause irritation
When you are first healing from having implants put in, you want to avoid doing anything that can cause irritation. Make sure you keep your fingers out of your mouth. They can have germs on them that may lead to infection. You also want to make sure you don't chew on anything that's not a food item. You should refrain from smoking cigarettes as well. If you notice the pain starts to get worse or you begin running a fever, get in to see the dentist so they can rule out a problem such as infection.