What good habits should you adopt after a dental implant?

Having a dental implant placed is one of the best ways to restore the look, feel and function of natural teeth. The implant is designed to provide enough anchoring for the replacement of one or more missing teeth and must be taken seriously to promote proper healing.

Want to learn more about good habits after dental implant surgery? In this article, you will find advice from our oral and maxillofacial surgery professionals.

Good oral hygiene: an essential habit after dental implant placement

Maintaining good oral hygiene is a very important habit to adopt after dental implants are placed in order to promote tissue healing. The day after dental implant surgery, it is recommended to gently rinse your mouth with lukewarm, lightly salted water, or with a mouthwash prescribed for this purpose.

Unless otherwise advised by the maxillofacial surgeon, it is also recommended that you carefully brush the teeth in the area surrounding the implant. This simple habit will ensure a quick and trouble-free recovery of the wound.

Ice and compress: two aids to limit swelling and bleeding

Your face may be slightly swollen in the first week after a dental implant is placed. Postoperative instructions include the application of ice within the first 48 hours to relieve the swelling. Alternating periods of 10 to 15 minutes on each side of the face will reduce the swelling to some extent.

Some bleeding may also occur during the first 24 hours after implant placement, as well as bruising, which should disappear after about 1 week.

Diet to promote healing after dental implant placement

Proper nutrition is essential for dental implant maintenance and wound healing. As a first step, our oral and maxillofacial surgery professionals recommend eating mostly cold or warm pureed or liquid foods.

Avoiding food that is difficult to chew or too hot will limit the pressure on the dental implant and make healing more noticeable.

Tobacco and alcohol: harmful habits after implant surgery

Some bad habits should be left behind after the installation of a dental implant. Tobacco and alcohol are two products that should be strictly avoided after an implant has been placed.

Smoking slows down the wound healing process and increases the risk of infection in patients who use tobacco. Avoiding smoking two weeks before and eight weeks after implant placement will help in a more predictable healing.

With respect to alcohol, it could interact with medications prescribed to reduce pain. This combination can be toxic and very dangerous for the patient’s health.

Contact Clinique MFML for more information on the good habits to adopt after a dental implant

In short, adopting good habits during the first few weeks is important to promote healing after dental implant surgery, as well as letting go of some habits that may hinder your speedy recovery.

At Clinique MFML, our qualified surgeons use state-of-the-art equipment. Contact us today to book an appointment or to learn more about implant placement!