One is advised to follow the aftercare instructions, provided by your dentist or oral surgeon, religiously so as to avert possible complications like dry sockets or infection. You need to be most careful about food intake; what to eat does affect healing. In this article, we discuss what to eat after removal of wisdom teeth and present some tips for a smoother recovery process.
Soft Foods are Key
Immediately after the procedure, your mouth will be sore and tender. Chewing or swallowing may be very painful. So immediately after your wisdom teeth removal, take soft foods that need less chewing and which are easy to swallow. Examples of such soft foods that you may have after extraction of your wisdom teeth are:
- Mashed potatoes
- Soup
- Smoothies, milkshake
- Yogurt
- Applesauce
- Scrambled eggs
- Soft pasta
- Smooth peanut butter
Avoid Hard, Crunchy, and Spicy Foods
Hard, crunchy, spicy foods all have the potential to cause discomfort and inflame the extraction site. Such food items are best avoided until the mouth has completely healed. Examples of food items that must be avoided are as follows:
- Chips
- Popcorn
- Nuts
- Spicy foods
- Hard candies
- Steak
Cold Foods Can Help
Immediately after wisdom teeth removal, cold foods can numb the pain and reduce swelling. You should try cold foods such as ice cream, frozen yogurt, or cold soups. Be careful not to eat too cold food because it will then cause a little discomfort or sensitivity.
Drink Plenty of Fluids
Keep yourself well-hydrated with plenty of fluids to drink. At the same time, avoid drinking with straws as the suction that is built while drinking through straws may dislodge the blood clot and cause dry socket. Limit your intake of water, fruit juice, or smoothies to spoon feeds only.
Tips to Make Eating Easier
In addition to that, besides eating the right foods, here are some other tips that would make eating after wisdom teeth removal easier:
- Mash soft foods by using a fork or cutting them into small pieces.
- Eat small portions of your food and chew with your front teeth.
- Avoid hot foods because they inflate swelling and cause discomfort.
- Rinse the mouth gently with warm salt water after each meal to facilitate the process of healing and avoid infections.
- Abstain from alcohol since it can retard the healing process and increase the rate of complications.
Immediately after wisdom tooth extraction, one should take soft foods that are easy to chew and swallow. This excludes hard, crunchy, and spicy foods. Cold food can be preferred to reduce swelling and cause anesthesia to the pain. Also, have ample fluids but do not use a straw for drinking. Use a fork to mash or cut your food in small bits. Follow these tips to ease your recovery and ensure a healthy healing process. If you still have qualms about the diet one should follow after extraction of wisdom teeth, then consult your dentist or oral surgeon.
Also check out more information about wisdom tooth: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_tooth
