Select Dental Implants · Menifee, CA
After Dental Implant Surgery
What’s normal, what helps, and when to call — your first week after implant placement.
The First 48–72 Hours
- Some pain, minor bleeding, swelling, and seeping are normal. Bite gently on gauze for the first hour if bleeding continues.
- Don’t pull your lip to look at the site, and keep tongue and fingers away from it — disturbing the area slows healing.
- Use ibuprofen or acetaminophen as directed on the label or by our office. Take prescribed medications exactly as instructed.
- Apply a cold compress to the outside of your face, 15 minutes on / 15 off, for the first day to limit swelling.
- Rest. No strenuous exercise for at least 48–72 hours — elevated heart rate increases bleeding and swelling.
Eating & Drinking
- Soft foods only at first: yogurt, eggs, smoothies (spoon, not straw), mashed potatoes, soup that isn’t hot.
- NO straws, NO smoking, NO vaping — suction and nicotine are the two biggest threats to early implant healing.
- Avoid hot liquids the first day, and don’t chew directly on the surgical site until cleared.
Keeping It Clean
- Do not rinse or spit forcefully the first 24 hours.
- From day two, rinse gently with warm salt water (½ tsp salt in a cup of warm water) after meals.
- Brush your other teeth normally; keep the brush away from the surgical site until we tell you otherwise.
- If you were given a prescription rinse, use it exactly as directed.
Call Us If
- Bleeding or pain is excessive or still increasing after 48–72 hours.
- Swelling worsens after day three instead of improving.
- You develop fever, or a bad taste/odor that doesn’t resolve with rinsing.
- Anything about the site simply doesn’t feel right — trust that instinct and call.
Questions during recovery? Don’t wait and wonder — call us at (951) 672-6788. After-hours emergencies: call the same number and follow the prompts.
We’re Here Through Your Whole Recovery
Aftercare support is part of treatment at Select Dental Implants — never hesitate to call (951) 672-6788.