After losing teeth, dental implants support your general health by keeping your jaw aligned. Because they also help your smile appear natural, they boost your confidence, too. Naturally, it’s important that you take care of yours if you receive one. Immediately following the procedure, you’ll need to know what you can and can’t do to ensure that it remains in good condition.

Do: 

Be careful about what you eat. 

The part of your mouth that received the dental implant will likely be sensitive. Stock up on soft and liquid foods, like yogurt, soup, cottage cheese, and pureed fruits, so that it’s easy to eat without chewing. If you do need to chew something, keep the food on the unaffected side of your mouth. 

Prepare for post-surgery treatments. 

The surgery site will likely swell and bleed for a few days. Keep gauze nearby so that you can bite on it, and press ice packs against the affected side of your face to reduce the swelling. Contact your dentist if the post-surgery effects worsen or don’t improve. 

Continue your oral hygiene routine. 

The dental implant may not be a real tooth, but it must be treated as one to guarantee its longevity and prevent infection. Use prescription antibacterial mouthwash at first, but as the surgery site heals, get back into the habit of brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing at least once. 

Don’t: 

Touch the implant. 

Don’t let your tongue or food roll over the implant or surgery site, and refrain from touching it with your fingers. Otherwise, it could get irritated, worsening the swelling and bleeding and delaying the healing process. When you start brushing your teeth again, apply light pressure. 

Smoke or chew tobacco. 

Tobacco use adversely affects dental health, causing stains and decay. It’s especially important to avoid tobacco when recovering from receiving a dental implant, since it could severely infect the surgery site. 

Exercise or perform physical labor. 

Focus on getting ample rest for at least a day following the surgery. If you do anything physically strenuous, your body may have difficulty dealing with it due to the reduced number of calories in your soft food diet. The sweat and stress could also irritate the surgery site further, resulting in more blood and swelling. 

If you want to receive dental implants from a friendly and reliable cosmetic dentist, go to Waterford Dental Health in New London County, CT.  The dentists boast extensive experience in sedation dentistry, guaranteeing that they’re prepared to successfully provide the implants you need and help you recover smoothly. They can also continue performing regular teeth cleanings to achieve the best possible results and keep your mouth healthy. To schedule the surgery, call (860) 447-2235 or visit them online to browse their services.