Wisdom teeth are removed due to problems like overcrowding, alignment issues, or as a preventive measure.
Wisdom tooth removal is a common dental procedure. It is prevalent between teens and young adults. What you eat after dental surgery is essential in determining your healing period.
Foods To Eat After Wisdom Tooth Extraction
You need to be on a liquid and soft food diet during the recovery period. Avoid food that can get trapped between teeth and cause decay.
The foods suitable during the recovery period from wisdom tooth extraction are:
- Fruit juice & smoothies
- Warm soups & broths
- Smooth milkshakes
- Oatmeal
- Applesauce
- Yogurt
- Pudding
- Avocado
- Jelly
- Mashed banana
- Mashed sweet or regular potatoes
- Pureed or mashed vegetables
- Scrambled eggs
These foods are not only delicious but high in nutrition too. Keeping yourself healthy is essential to accelerate your healing process.
Foods To Avoid After Wisdom Tooth Extraction
You should be careful with what you eat during recovery.
- Hard, chewy, and crunchy foods like bread, nuts, popcorn, cookies, or chips can get stuck in the cavity and hinder healing.
- Rice, quinoa, and other cereals can get trapped in the operated area.
- Spicy or overly acidic foods may irritate the area and cause more pain.
- Sticky foods tend to get stuck on your teeth.
- Alcohol can irritate the wound area and react with the prescribed medication.
- Coffee, carbonated, and hot drinks could cause tissue irritation and hinder healing.
Avoid smoking during this time. The suction motion made by your mouth can create a condition called dry mouth. It causes pain and delays the healing process.
When To Eat Food After Wisdom Tooth Extraction?
Day 1-3
You must focus on the blood clot after your surgery is complete. Minor bleeding is normal for the first day. Consuming liquid for 24 hours after a tooth extraction is ideal. Foods like warm soup, smoothies, broth, and yogurt are best for this period. Avoid using straws, as the suction motion can open your wounds. It will lead to increased pain and swelling. Take medications prescribed by the dentist to relieve yourself of pain.
Day 4-12
By this time, the clot should form in the operation area. Saline mouth rinses will kill any bacteria that can form an infection. You can brush and floss gently over the extraction area. Mouthwash can also help you get rid of bacteria. You can introduce solid food into your diet. Foods like mashed potatoes, ground meat, pudding, avocado, and bananas are easy to chew during this period. Keep your mouth clean at all times to avoid infection.
After Two Weeks
Most people return to their normal diet after two weeks of the extraction. You can resume eating solid food. Hard foods must be avoided to prevent injury in the operation area. You can also resume exercise and sports. The dentist can now plan for tooth replacement for the missing tooth.
The Bottom Line
You can return to your usual dietary choices after receiving the replacement tooth. Mindfulness during the healing period is not only necessary for your oral health, but for your digestive system too.