Whether you’re already scheduled to receive implants or are thinking about getting them, it’s good to know how to take proper care of them. After surgery, we put together a guide for caring for your dental implants in Torrance, CA.
After Surgery
Properly caring for your new dental implants is crucial at this point. Your body will work hard to repair the gum and bone tissue, and your new implant will fuse with bone. It would be best if you heeded the following advice for at least five to 10 days post-surgery.
- Don’t touch your stitches. They will fall out or dissolve alone, so leave them alone.
- Use ice, but don’t chew it. Ice is excellent for swelling post-surgery when used on the outside of your mouth and face. However, you do not want to put ice into your mouth and should not chew it.
- Let your mouth heal. It’s tempting to constantly examine your mouth and new implants, but you should avoid excessively opening your mouth and inspecting the site.
- Rinse with saltwater. You’ll need to wait 24 hours after your surgery to start rinsing your mouth daily with salt water. You should do this every day for at least a week.
- Be gentle when cleaning. You can brush your teeth the same day you get the implants, but you must be extremely careful. You’ll want to use a soft-bristled toothbrush and avoid brushing your gums at the surgery site. When you want to rinse, pour water into your mouth, but don’t swish or spit it out. You’ll want to tip your head so the water falls out of your mouth (have a towel ready; it will probably be messy).
- Change your gauze. Your dentist should direct you on how often you’ll need to change out the gauze.
- No straws. Your body needs to form blood clots to help your mouth heal after surgery, and using straws will loosen the clots and cause issues.
- Choose your food carefully. After surgery, you should avoid soft drinks, eat only food you can cut with a plastic fork, and be cautious about hot foods and beverages. Don’t chew gum, and don’t smoke. All of these things can affect the healing process.
It might seem like a lot, but dental implants have a short recovery time and significantly improve lives. You can contact Dentist of Torrance to discuss whether dental implants are the right choice.
