Tuesday, June 23, 2015

What You Should Know About Dietary Restrictions After Oral Surgery

Oral SurgeryWe perform oral surgery on a regular basis, primarily to place dental implants.  If you have lost a tooth, implants are the best way to replace it because an implant not only replaces the actual tooth but also the root system.  It is the only solution to do so considering that both a dental bridge and dentures only deal with the problem on the outside of the gums.

While highly effective, this is a surgical procedure.  In order to place the implants, we insert a titanium post under the gums and secure it to the jawbone.  This is done in every place where a tooth is missing.  We do this under anesthesia so that you remain comfortable and do not feel any irritation during the procedure itself.  Since it is surgical, there will be a recovery time that is associated with the procedure and the more implants that you have placed, the longer the recovery period will be.

During this time, it is important that you eat a healthy diet so that you can keep up your energy and give your body the best opportunity to recover quickly from your oral surgery.  This can be challenging since your gums will also be sore and there are natural restrictions associated with what you can eat.  You need to focus on eating foods that are soft and will not irritate your gums.

Here are some meals that we recommend you try after having oral surgery.

Breakfast

Be sure to continue to eat every meal, including breakfast.  While cereal and toast are out of the question, you can have oatmeal or cream of wheat that is made with whole milk.  You can also try boiled or scrambled eggs as a nutritious breakfast.  Otherwise, we recommend that you have a smoothie where you combine your favorite fruits and vegetables with yogurt and protein powder.  A smoothie can be used to replace as many meals as you like and will provide you with much of the nutrition that you need as long as you include the correct ingredients.

Lunch

For lunch, many of our patients eat soup.  You can buy soup in the can or make your own potato soup that can be blended for a meal that is delicious, easy to make and eat. You can also try eating a tuna sandwich or a hummus sandwich on soft bread with applesauce on the side.

Dinner

After having oral surgery, this can be the hardest meal to replace simply because most people eat meat as their main dish.  In the beginning, pork, chicken, and beef will be too challenging to eat but you can substitute these with a soft fish or tofu.  Both will provide you with the nutrition that you need while being easy to eat.  Add a side dish of mashed potatoes or soft pasta shells that are easy to chew.

Keep in mind that your dietary restrictions are only temporary.  You will be able to return to a normal diet fairly quickly and once your gums are healed and your new tooth secured, there will be no dietary restrictions.

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