As much as a lot of people take care of their teeth, dental damage as we grow older is completely normal. This is why in our older years, most people will already have a dental implant. If you recently got a dental implant, you may be wondering how to care for it after.
Aftercare Tips for Dental Implants
Dental implants do not end after the procedure. Instead, just like your real teeth, you will need to care for them afterward. Otherwise, you will be heading back to the dentist sooner than you planned to.
- Dealing with Pain
During the procedure and for a few hours after, you may not experience any sort of pain at all. This is because of the anesthesia that was used. However, once the anesthesia wears off, you will probably experience some level of pain.
Most of the time, painkillers like Ibuprofen should do the trick. You just need to follow the instructions that come along with it. However, if you continue to experience pain even after taking them, you should contact your dentist to see if they can prescribe you something stronger.
- Excessive Bleeding
Bleeding after a dental implant procedure is completely normal. If you feel the blood in your mouth, you can go ahead and rinse it out. This should last for about 24 hours. If you experience any heavier bleeding, you can bite down on a gauze pad for about 30 minutes.
If there is still bleeding after 24 hours or you continue to experience excessive bleeding, then you should inform your dentist. Additionally, you may experience a nosebleed if your implant is located in the upper jaw, but don’t worry as this is normal.
- Soft Diet
As much as possible, you should only consume soft food. If you eat hard food, you risk breaking your dental implant or causing heavy bleeding. In addition to this, you should drink plenty of fluids to make sure that your digestion is fine and your mouth does not dry out.
You should also avoid eating spicy or hot food while the anesthesia is still in effect. This is because you could potentially burn yourself without you knowing. If your dentist has other dietary rules and prescriptions, make sure to follow them strictly to ensure that you heal normally and properly.
- Swelling and Bruising
Swelling after the procedure is completely normal. The swelling could last up to two days and after, you may see some bruises form. To handle the swelling, you can place an ice pack on your cheek as near the surgical area as possible. Keep the ice pack on for about 10 minutes and then stop for 20 minutes. Repeat this procedure as needed.
- Antibiotics
Be sure to take any antibiotics as they are prescribed. Even if the pain is no longer present, make sure to finish the entire course of medicine to avoid building up a resistance to the antibiotics.
- Oral Hygiene Routine
You can continue to brush your teeth as normal, but avoid touching the site of the surgery for a few days. If you feel like you can brush it, try to be gentle. Avoid using water floss and electric toothbrushes as they may add excess and unnecessary force.
You can also gargle with a lukewarm saltwater solution about 4-5 times a day. This will help kill off bacteria and reduce swelling and pain.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to care for your dental implant after your procedure, you can be sure that you will be just fine. As long as you follow the guidelines and avoid anything that may stress your implant, you can be sure that your healing process will go normally.
If you need to get dental implants in Massachusetts, you can book an appointment with Saint Mark Dental. We are a dental clinic offering general, cosmetic, and pediatric dentistry, and our priority is the comfort and well-being of our patients. Contact us today to schedule your visit!
