Dental implants are among the best solutions to missing teeth. To ensure yours last for decades, stick to these after care guidelines while your mouth recovers after surgery.

Do:

Keep your mouth clean.

To keep the surgery site clean in the first few days following surgery, rinse your mouth with warm salt water four to five times each day. Avoid mouthwash products, especially those with alcohol, since they’ll dry your mouth out. Don’t start brushing and flossing the surgical site without your dentist’s approval to avoid interfering with its healing.

Report side effects to your dentist.

Post-surgical side effects like bleeding and swelling are common. Reduce swelling by holding an ice pack to your cheek. Stop or slow bleeding by applying a clean gauze pad to the dental implant site. If these symptoms continue despite the home remedies, your dentist will want to schedule an exam to determine the cause.

Don’t:

Eat hard foods.

Avoid chewing hard and crunchy foods around the dental implant for six to eight weeks. The implant itself is designed to endure harder foods; however, it won’t be stable until your gums and jaw bone are completely healed. Stick to eating soft foods, especially in the days after surgery.

Smoke or drink alcohol.

Ideally, you should quit smoking altogether and consume alcohol conservatively. If you must, however, don’t smoke or drink for at least 24 hours after surgery. They may interfere with healing or create adverse effects with any prescribed pain medication or antibiotics.

If you’re interested in exploring dental implants, contact Stephen R. Ho, DDS. Serving Honolulu, HI, for over 30 years, Dr. Ho offers a variety of dental care treatments ranging from fillings to cosmetic dentistry solutions. Call (808) 949-4288 to schedule an exam, and visit his website to learn more about his services. You can also connect on Facebook for specials and updates.