After you get your wisdom teeth removed, your dentist will advise you on what foods you should and shouldn’t eat. In general, soft foods are your friends, while chewy and hard foods are not. In this blog, Abington Center for Cosmetic and Family Dentistry will review what foods you can eat and tips for a fast recovery.
But Why Soft Foods?
Even though many people get their wisdom teeth out, it is still possible to deal with complications. Following your dentist’s instructions makes you more likely to have a quicker and easier recovery with this common procedure. Infections and complications are possible, which largely in part come from food, and bacteria from the food, getting trapped in the soft, open, healing tissue.
What Can I Eat After I Get My Wisdom Teeth Removed?
Stick to soft or liquid foods to avoid harming the sockets where your wisdom teeth were removed.
Broth (chicken, beef, vegetable broths)
- Make sure it’s warm, not hot
Blended soups
- Avoid soups with anything hard in them that you may have to chew.
Puddings
- Avoid puddings like rice pudding which can get stuck at the removal site.
Smoothies
- Avoid using fruits with seeds that may get stuck at the removal site.
Potatoes
- Mashed, boiled- just make sure they’re soft!
Apple Sauce
Yogurt
Mashed vegetables
Soft, boiled vegetables
Ice cream
Jell-O
Oatmeal
Cottage cheese
Milk
Soft-cooked pasta
- Be wary of how you cook your pasta, and consider avoiding this food for the first few days after surgery.
Scrambled eggs
Soft Tofu
Cooked beans, lentils
- Make sure they’re super soft!
Avocado
Fish
Soft Fruit
Foods to Avoid After Wisdom Teeth Removal
Hot foods
- After you get your wisdom teeth removed, it’s important to stay away from anything that is hot or may burn your mouth. Eating hot food after wisdom teeth removal can lead to burns, infections, and severe irritation. This can also cause your healing clot that is forming over the extraction site to become dislodged.
Spicy or Acidic foods
- Spicy foods irritate your mouth and gums in the area of extraction, which makes these foods best to avoid until after you recover. The acidity found in spicy foods can also be harmful to your mouth by causing burning at the extraction site.
Chewy, hard, crunchy, or firm foods
Chips
Popcorn
Meats
Hard vegetables
Sandwiches
Sticky textures
- Sticky food can dislodge the blood clot healing at the site of extraction and lead to a dry socket. Avoid sticky foods at all costs!
So, what can I eat after wisdom teeth removal? Summary
After wisdom teeth removal, it’s crucial to stick to soft or liquid foods to prevent harm to the extraction sites. Opt for warm broth, blended soups, puddings (excluding rice pudding), smoothies (without seeds), mashed potatoes and vegetables, yogurt, ice cream, Jell-O, oatmeal, cottage cheese, milk, soft-cooked pasta, scrambled eggs, soft tofu, cooked beans, lentils, avocado, fish, and soft fruit. On the other hand, avoid hot foods that can cause burns and dislodge the healing clot, as well as spicy or acidic foods that can irritate the extraction area. Stay away from chewy, hard, crunchy, firm, and sticky foods to prevent complications like dry sockets.
Wisdom Teeth Removal in Scranton, PA
Dr. Dennis and our team of dental hygienists at Abington Center for Cosmetic and Family Dentistry can assist you with wisdom teeth removal and provide direction on what to eat and what not to eat following the surgery. Remember, wisdom teeth removal is common but is still painful and will take time to heal.
Contact our office, located in Clarks Summit, close to Scranton, PA, for more information. We can help!
