{"id":369,"date":"2026-09-14T13:16:22","date_gmt":"2026-09-14T13:16:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ellicottcitysmiles.com\/blog\/?p=369"},"modified":"2026-09-14T13:16:24","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T13:16:24","slug":"what-not-to-do-after-dental-implant-surgery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ellicottcitysmiles.com\/blog\/what-not-to-do-after-dental-implant-surgery\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Things Not to Do After Having Dental Implants Placed"},"content":{"rendered":"
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When my patients decide to have dental implants<\/a> placed, they\u2019re often primarily concerned with the surgery itself. However, I always take the time to ensure they understand what to expect afterward. It takes time for implant posts to form a lasting bond with the jawbone, and it\u2019s essential to make sure nothing disrupts this process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are several things you will need to do to take care of your mouth while it\u2019s healing after dental implant surgery. But there are also a few things that you should avoid <\/em>doing during your recovery. Here are 4 key examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t Eat Anything That\u2019s Hard or Spicy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Do you enjoy eating spicy foods like beef jerky or hard foods like nuts? You\u2019ll need to stay away from these types of snacks while your mouth is still healing from dental implant placement. Spicy foods can irritate your still-sensitive gums and lead to discomfort. Meanwhile, hard foods could put excessive pressure on the implant posts and stop them from fusing with the jaw.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s best to plan on sticking to soft, non-spicy, non-hot foods in the days following your dental implant surgery. That way, you can protect your mouth as well as your implant posts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t Smoke<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tobacco is one of the last things your body should be exposed to after dental implant surgery. Not only can it increase the chances of a gum infection occurring, but it can interfere with the healing process. It could even prevent the implant posts from properly bonding with the jawbone, leaving them unstable. As such, you should refrain from using cigarettes and other tobacco products for a while after receiving your dental implants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t Engage in Strenuous Exercise<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Intense physical activity can increase your blood flow, which can lead to bleeding at the implant site while it\u2019s trying to heal. You will therefore want to take it easy for at least a few days following your dental implant surgery. You should typically plan on avoiding strenuous exercise for about 7 to 10 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t Directly Touch the Implant Site<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your dental implants will generally need around three to six months to bond with the jaw. Until they do, it\u2019s important to avoid directly touching them with your fingers or your tongue. Doing so could inadvertently transfer bacteria to the implant site and lead to complications. You should plan on leaving your implant posts alone while maintaining good oral hygiene habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are just a few of the things you\u2019ll need to avoid doing after dental implant surgery in order to prevent unnecessary complications. You can always count on our team to provide you with tips to ensure that the healing process goes smoothly. As long as you follow your post-op instructions and maintain good habits, you should have no trouble navigating your recovery, bringing you one step closer to successfully rebuilding your smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the Practice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here at Ellicott City Smiles Dental Group, we strive to exceed our patients\u2019 expectations when it comes to the care we provide. We pride ourselves on providing high-quality, affordable dentistry while treating everyone who walks through our doors with respect and empathy. Thanks to our on-site periodontist and prosthodontist, we\u2019re able to expertly place and restore dental implants in-office. If you\u2019re interested in getting dental implants to reclaim a complete smile, you can schedule an appointment at our office by visiting our website<\/a>, using our online booking tool<\/a>, or calling (410) 465-3224.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When my patients decide to have dental implants placed, they\u2019re often primarily concerned with the surgery itself. However, I always take the time to ensure they understand what to expect afterward. It takes time for implant posts to form a lasting bond with the jawbone, and it\u2019s essential to make sure nothing disrupts this process. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-369","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ellicottcitysmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/369","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ellicottcitysmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ellicottcitysmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ellicottcitysmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ellicottcitysmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=369"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.ellicottcitysmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/369\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":371,"href":"https:\/\/www.ellicottcitysmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/369\/revisions\/371"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ellicottcitysmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=369"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ellicottcitysmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=369"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ellicottcitysmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=369"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}