Before you commit to a wisdom tooth extraction, you may think the treatment won’t have lingering effects. You can get the extra molar removed and quickly move on, right? Wrong – you’ll need to follow a set diet as you heal from the procedure. You could delay your recovery and make it harder if you don’t. As for how that diet should look, let your Dallas family dentist share the details. Read on to learn the foods you should eat after a wisdom tooth extraction.
Which Foods Should You Eat?
Your mouth will be sensitive and need time to heal after a wisdom tooth removal. Given this fact, you’ll want to eat foods that don’t disrupt the healing process. These items include:
Day 1: Liquids
During the first 24 hours after surgery, you should only consume liquids. Your treatment site (and its blood clot) will be too fragile to handle anything tougher.
To be specific, only have water, juice, and broth during this time; they’re nutritional and should keep you hydrated. Also, don’t drink them with a straw – you could end up with a dry socket.
Day 2: Very Soft Foods
You can shift to eating very soft foods once the first 24 hours are up. While these won’t require much chewing, they’ll still have some comforting substance.
Notable examples of very soft foods are yogurt, soups, pudding, and Jello. When having such fares, make sure to keep them at mild temperatures. Your treatment site will still be very sensitive to hot and cold foods.
Days 3-5: Lightly Chewable Foods
Once you’ve reached the third or fourth day of recovery, you can add lightly chewable foods to your diet. Your mouth will have healed enough to manage by this point.
In particular, consider trying cream of wheat, oatmeal, or ice cream. Popsicles could also work, but only if you don’t find their cold painful. They’re okay to have if their coolness soothes your swollen gums.
Which Foods Should You Avoid?
Just as some foods can help with your surgery recovery, others would delay or even prevent it. Make sure to avoid the following kinds as you heal:
- Spicy Stuff – You shouldn’t eat anything spicy while recovering, as doing so will cause gum sensitivity or an upset stomach.
- Hot Foods & Drinks – Your mouth will be numb from anesthesia for a while after treatment. To keep from burning it, avoid hot foods and drinks.
- Chewy or Crunchy Items – You can easily bite your tongue or lips during recovery, so don’t eat chewy or crunchy foods like pretzels, chips, etc.
Now that you know what to eat after a tooth extraction, you should do fine after treatment. Still, don’t hesitate to call your dental provider if something seems wrong.
About the Practice
Midtown Family Dentistry is based in Dallas, TX. Led by Drs. Koo, Arnold, and Patel, our practice always seeks to give each patient top-tier dental care. We thus offer custom treatments that span preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, as well as emergency procedures. Our team is also able to handle wisdom tooth extractions! For more details or to book a visit, you can reach us on our website or by phone at (469)-529-6016.