Dental implants have allowed individuals with loose or missing teeth to regain their dental stability, so they can enjoy their favorite foods without worrying about pain or loose dentures. These implants have become a popular option because of their comfort and reliability. Although patients can generally enjoy almost every food they enjoyed with natural teeth, a few foods should be avoided to ensure that you have trouble-free enjoyment of your implants for many years.
Enjoying the Benefits of Dental Implants
The stability of dental implants means that you will be able to enjoy many of your favorite foods, such as steak, corn on the cob, uncooked vegetables and crisp bread. But this ease of eating doesn’t mean you can be careless with what you eat. Some foods can damage the crown of the dental implant or cause soreness in the area where the device is implanted. There are a few foods you should avoid in order to preserve your dental implants over the long term.
Hard, Sticky Candy
Those hard, sticky candies that may have been a favorite in your childhood can cause problems with your dental implants. Their consistency causes them to stick to the tooth surface and are often too hard to chew without leading to soreness in the gum area. Choose a softer, less sticky candy to enjoy to preserve your implants.
Whole Apples
Although dental implants can act much like natural teeth, biting into hard fruits like apples can lead to damage to the dental implant and surrounding gum areas. To avoid problems, cut the apple into slices that can be easily chewed.
Hard Nuts
Most varieties of nuts won’t present a problem for individuals with dental implants. However, some types, such as Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts and hickory nuts require quite a bit of pressure to pulverize. This action can cause significant stress on implants that are positioned in the gums. It’s best to avoid these to avoid soreness and damage to your dental implants.
Caramels
Candy and other items that contain caramel can be a sticky mess on implant crowns and may cause loosening of the implant. It’s best to avoid these foods to prevent damage to your implant, as well as to avoid cleaning problems that can lead to decay of adjacent natural teeth.
Most patients who get dental implants are surprised at how much they are like natural teeth. They can easily forget that implants are a little different and need a bit more care to preserve them over the years. If you avoid these foods, you will be able to enjoy an attractive smile and comfortable eating for many years.