So you got your wisdom teeth removed… You’re probably dealing with a lot of pain and discomfort from the operation. But what can you eat after wisdom teeth removal? You might think you don’t have many options but thankfully there are all kinds of food out there!
We’re here with some great options that will keep you healthy and still enjoying food while you wait for your mouth to finish healing.
While you won’t be able to sink your teeth into a juicy steak or a big red apple for a while, here are some other things that you can enjoy!
Why Soft Foods are Important
It’s crucial that you take your dentist seriously when they recommend that you stay away from food that is too hard or that will require any sort of chewing to break it up. If you attempt to eat too many hard foods after your wisdom tooth removal, you can damage the blood clot that formed to heal your gum. When the healing process is disturbed in this way, a dry socket is formed.
Dry sockets are very painful and may need to be looked at by a dentist if they occur in your mouth. While there are other ways to help protect dry sockets from forming in your mouth, the best way is to follow your dentist’s instructions. Soft food is essential in preventing a dry socket from forming in your mouth.
Soft Food to Eat After Wisdom Teeth Removal
Soft foods are going to be your best friend as you journey to recovery. Soft foods can seem extremely boring. What we’ll have to do is help you think beyond bananas and mashed potatoes. One thing to keep in mind is that you’re going to want to eat healthy foods. You did just have oral surgery, and to best recover from it, proper nutrition is essential.
If you’re reading this and you have younger kids that are experiencing wisdom teeth removal, then this list of soft foods that are fun and tasty will be beneficial.
What to Eat After Wisdom Teeth Removal
Soups + Broths
Both soups and broths are extremely high in enzymes and vitamins that are great for your body’s nutrition. Better yet, they taste great and always seem to make you feel better if you’re sick. When consuming soups, focus on blended soups that don’t contain any bits or pieces that could irritate your area of surgery.
Tomato, pumpkin, cheese, and other similar soups are great options!
An added bonus to soups and broths is that they’ll help to keep you hydrated throughout your recovery. Hydration is a big part of recovery quickly after having wisdom teeth removed.
Yogurt
While any yogurt that doesn’t’ have large chunks is good for your mouth and health, Greek yogurt is especially beneficial. The creamy texture and high protein content will help your mouth heal and can provide relief while you’re consuming it.
Consuming high-protein snacks and foods can, at times, help aid in a faster recovery.
Mashed Potatoes
Unfortunately, you shouldn’t be consuming hot potatoes right after surgery, as hot foods will often irritate the surgery area.
Mashed potatoes can provide a high-calorie meal with lots of nutrients and vitamins. Consuming potatoes will help you to feel full and can keep you full for a while. It’s a great way to eat some food in more of a meal form.
Scrambled Eggs
Another high-protein food that you can eat is eggs. Scrambled eggs, in particular, will be easy to consume and provide many different vitamins making them one fo the best foods to eat.
While you can try some different ways of making the eggs, scrambled eggs are best because they are easy to consume without chewing too much.
Applesauce
If you’ve been craving apples, it’s going to be a few weeks before you should be eating those crunchy treats. Apple sauce is a great way to still enjoy that great apple taste that you’ve been craving.
Additionally, apples are high in vitamin C and can boost your immune system. It hasn’t been proven that a boosted immune system helps the healing process, but it sure can’t hurt!
Mashed Banana
Bananas are an extremely popular fruit and a great source of vitamin B, potassium, and manganese, and folate. Additionally, they can be easily consumed after your surgery.
While mashing the banana before consuming it won’t always be necessary, it can help you consume them with more ease.
Ice Cream
Ice cream is a great treat! The cool texture will help to ease discomfort from your surgery. While most ice creams aren’t very nutritious, you can look into healthy ice cream recipes that are easy to make at home.
Finding a way to consume some fresh ice cream is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face!
Avocado
Avacado is easy to eat and is even quite tasty. The vitamins and fats that are found in avocado are very helpful in the wisdom teeth recovery process.
Mash them or whip them and add some salt to make them easier to consume. Just be sure that they’re nice and ripe.
Smoothies
Smoothies are not only incredibly flavorful, but they’re also easy to consume and can provide a full meal. Finding a smoothie you like will take a little experimenting. The easiest way to find one is to start trying them.
Start with some yogurt or protein powder, ice to make it cold, and some of your favorite fruits and vegetables.
Hummus
Hummus is a superfood for sure! There is so much protein locked into each and every bite of hummus that you take. Best of all, it comes in all types of great flavors for your enjoyment. You can have classic flavors, spice it up, or make it totally unique.
You can buy hummus at most grocery stores or make your own by following this great recipe.
Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese definitely isn’t for everyone. Some people love it, and some people just don’t. But because of its high protein levels, cottage cheese is a great food to enjoy when recovering from wisdom teeth removal. Notice that we try to highlight foods that are really good for you while you’re recovering. That’s because one way to speed up your recovery is by eating foods that are easy for your body to digest and gain nutrients from.
Instant or Traditional Oatmeal
Did you know that oats are among some of the healthiest foods on the planet? There are numerous benefits from enjoying oats for meals and snacks. They are high in fiber, and they’re loaded with vitamins and minerals.
Because oats can have a sticky and sometimes chewy texture, it’s best to wait a few days after your operation before eating them. Instant oatmeal is also one of the least chewy options when it comes to choosing which kind you’ll consume.
Be sure to also let the oats cool before you try to eat them.
Mashed Pumpkin
Pumpkin is a really popular vegetable in the fall because they’re always in abundance throughout the country. The soft, mushy texture is really easy to consume and digest, making it a great treat when you’re recovering.
Pumpkin is also rich in all kinds of different vitamins and minerals. One of the best ways to eat it is with a little butter and brown sugar or any way that you’d enjoy sweet potatoes or squash.
Mashed Sweet Potatoe or Squash
Mashed sweet potatoes or squash are great, just like a pumpkin. Even if you think you don’t like it, consider trying it again. There’s something about some brown sugar, butter, and marshmallow cream that bring it all together and make some of these treats taste just like dessert.
Salmon and Other Soft Fish
Salmon specifically is one of the healthiest fish that you can eat. After dental surgery is a great time to enjoy soft fish because it falls apart easily in your mouth and is really easy to swallow. You don’t have to worry about chewing it a lot, and it’s great nutrition for your body.
Foods to Avoid
As with any dental surgery, there are foods that are good for you and also foods that you should try to avoid. We wanted to be sure to include both foods that are good for you and foods that you should try to avoid after your wisdom teeth are removed.
Spicy Foods
Spicy foods can be extremely acidic and can cause pain and irritation to raw and sore areas within your mouth. That jalapeño popper just isn’t worth the potential pain it could cause within your mouth. Just wait a few weeks before getting into spicy food again.
Chewy Foods
Chewy foods can also be very irritating to your mouth. One of the main reasons that you should avoid chewy foods is because they increase the chance that you could bite your cheek, tongue, or irate your gum. All three of these could be quite painful if you’ve just undergone a fairly major surgery.
Crunchy Foods
Crunchy foods are hard on your teeth and mouth for a lot of the same reasons as chewy foods. The difference is that, additionally, crunchy foods can tear and poke your gums. The foods you eat should be really easy to chew.
Most Grains, Seeds, and Nuts
Most all grains, seeds, and nuts will likely get lodged into the area that your mouth is healing and disrupt the process. Having food stuck in your teeth is one thing; having it stuck in your teeth when you’re trying to recover from wisdom teeth removal is extremely painful.
Alcohol
Alcohol can irritate the area that’s recovering as well as mix poorly with any pain killers or medications that you’re taking. Staying away from alcohol can is a good idea until your mouth is healed and you’re no longer taking medications.
Those are the majority of the foods that you’ll want to stay away from during your recovery. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t also others. In general, if you’re nervous about a specific food, it’s probably a good idea to wait on eating it. It’s also important that you avoid drinking with a straw. The increased suction in your mouth can increase your chances of developing a dry socket.
Recovering From Wisdom Teeth
We understand that foods to eat after wisdom tooth removal can feel boring. But, doing what’s best for the health of your teeth after surgery will not only reduce your pain but prevent any future pain. We hope you’ve enjoyed this list of what to eat after removal of wisdom teeth.
Be sure to avoid spicy foods along with any hard foods until your dentist says it’s appropriate, and your mouth has recovered from surgery. Good luck with your recovery, and be sure to reach out to your dentist if you’re experiencing any unusual pain since the surgery.