So many patients find wisdom tooth removal to be a stressful experience: they fear pain, swelling and downtime. But the reality is that wisdom tooth extractions are done almost every day and when you follow your dentist’s post-operative care instructions and keep your mouth clean, you can look forward to an efficient recovery. Planning your meals ahead of your wisdom teeth removal can make the process so much more comfortable. Let’s take a closer look at what to eat after your wisdom teeth are removed.
Why Wisdom Teeth Need To Be Removed?
In some patients, the wisdom teeth present with problems and need to be extracted. This could be for a number of reasons including impacted wisdom teeth, crowding or tooth decay. But not all wisdom teeth need to be removed; if they are not presenting with any problems they will be left alone. That means, if your dentist recommends wisdom teeth removal, it’s for a good reason.
Wisdom Teeth Aftercare: How To Recover Quicker?
Your dentist will give you instructions on how to care for your mouth after your wisdom teeth removal and it’s essential you follow these guidelines to avoid side effects and complications.
After your wisdom teeth removal, you will be given a piece of gauze to bite down on. The pressure will curb the bleeding. You will be able to rinse with a saltwater solution, very gently and probably won’t be brushing your teeth
What To Eat After Wisdom Teeth Removed?
Preparing for your wisdom teeth removal recovery period will make everything so much easier once you get home. You will be told to avoid drinking through a straw for the first 24 hours and to avoid hot and cold beverages. This is to make sure that you do not dislodge the blood clot that will develop over the wound, which would put you at risk of infection, and which is extremely painful.
Soft foods will help a lot because they do not require much chewing. You could stock up on
Mashed Potatoes And Mashed Vegetables
Mashed potatoes are a great source of carbohydrates, and can be dressed up or down with a variety of different ingredients. They also make a great comfort dish if you’re feeling a little down after your wisdom teeth removal.
Some vegetables are soft without mashing: butternut, pumpkin and hubbard squash are relatively easy to eat with minimal chewing.
Other vegetables can be mashed to make sure you stay healthy after wisdom teeth removal.
Yoghurt, Smoothies And Milkshakes
You can still ensure you get your nutrients by juicing, making smoothies and milkshakes and eating yoghurt, especially if you include fresh fruit and vegetables. yoghurt is a great source of calcium and protein after your wisdom tooth extraction.
Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled eggs are nice and soft to eat, very nutritious and are quick and easy to make.
Soups
Get your dose of five a day even after wisdom tooth extractions. Blend your soup a little smoother than usual while recovering from wisdom tooth removal.
Avocados
Fresh avocado and guacamole are a tasty addition to your diet post-wisdom teeth removal.
Porridge
Porridge like oatmeal is easy to eat and a great source of comfort. It is full of fibre, low fat and can be combined with different fruits and toppings to keep it interesting and nutritious.
Fish
Flaky fish prepared with mild seasoning can be a great protein source once your wisdom teeth removal sites are starting to heal.
Even if you eat soft foods that are easy to chew, you should also make sure that you chew on the opposite side of your mouth. Even soft foods can irritate the extraction site, or cause the blood clot to dislodge.
Once the first week to ten days has passed, your surgical sites will have started to heal and you will be able to introduce more foods back into your diet.
What Sort Of Foods Should You Avoid After Wisdom Tooth Removal?
Any food that is hard, chewy or sticky should be avoided in the first seven to ten days after your wisdom teeth removal. So, nuts, popcorn and toffee apples should definitely be avoided. In addition, you would also want to avoid
- Very spicy food as this can irritate your wounds
- Foods with grains and seeds, like cereals, as the small seeds, can get trapped in the wound
- Crunchy foods, as these can injure the extraction site
To find out more about what to eat after wisdom teeth removal, or for more information about wisdom tooth extractions, please contact us: (02) 8203 8760.
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