You may have heard that eating with dental implants is easier than dentures or bridges. If so, you heard right! They let you chew more thoroughly compared to alternatives. There’s no risk of them falling out during your meal either. However, some foods can still be tricky for implants — particularly summer items.
Here’s a summary of what implants let you eat and three of their cautionary summer foods from Selbyville dentists. Consider it the next time you head out for a seasonal BBQ or cookout.
What Can I Eat with Dental Implants?
Dental implants let you chew with seventy to ninety percent of your original chewing capacity. As such, they let you eat pretty much anything once you’ve fully healed. They’re also firmly secured in your jawbone, meaning they won’t shift or slip while you eat.
However, they still have limits. It’d be better if you avoided biting down on anything too forcefully with them. Also, avoid harder foods like nuts, ice, hard candy, and popcorn kernels to stop your implants from unseating.
Which Summer Foods Should I Eat with Discretion?
While implants can handle almost anything natural teeth can, they can struggle with certain summer foods. Some key examples include the following:
- Sugary drinks: Just as they do with your other teeth, sodas and high-sugar fruit drinks can eat away at dental implants. Most dentists recommend that patients avoid sugary beverages to preserve any remaining natural teeth. Water would be an excellent substitute to drink instead.
- Hot dogs: Hot dogs contain a large amount of processed, saturated fats. A buildup of these fats could cause gum inflammation and disease if left unchecked. These conditions can cause implant failure, so don’t have hot dogs too often.
- Corn on the cob: Corn kernels can get stuck between an implant and your gums. To avoid that situation, you should cut the corn off of the cob and eat it that way. Otherwise, you’ll have to deal with the pain of trying to get the kernels out of your mouth.
Dental implants are one of the best restorative dental treatments for eating and drinking. Even so, there are still products that can trip them up now and again. Keep the above foods in mind so you’ll exercise caution when eating wonderful summer meals.
About the Practice
Dr. James K. Kramer is one of the premier dentists of Selbyville, Delaware, having worked in the field for over thirty years. He sets high standards for himself and goes above and beyond to provide excellent dental treatments. He is exceptionally skilled in restorative dentistry, having received training at both the Dawson Academy and the Chesapeake Dental Education Center. Dr. Kramer currently practices at his self-titled clinic and can be reached at his website or by phone at (302)-436-5133.