What to Eat and What to Avoid After a Tooth Extraction
Tooth extraction can be very painful, and the recovery rate varies from one patient to another. You should avoid taking foods that will slow your healing and recovery process.
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Read on to understand what foods to eat and avoid after tooth extraction.
What Should You Eat After Tooth Extraction?
Patients should take soft foods that do not require chewing after tooth extraction. Even those foods that require minimal chewing should be avoided. You should eat the following foods after tooth extraction:
Luke Warm Soups
Lukewarm soups are excellent and healthy for healing and recovery following tooth extraction. Patients can benefit from the proteins in the soup as it helps them recover their inflamed and tender gum muscles. You need to purée the soup until it is entirely smooth and cool to avoid any discomfort while taking it.
You can add small bits of cooked veggies or noodles to your soup. However, you should avoid foods that require much chewing. Some examples of the soup you can take include pumpkin soup, veggies soup, tomato soup, and beef soup.
Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled eggs are an excellent choice after a tooth extraction. They are easy on your muscles requiring minimal chewing and are packed with proteins. However, the scrambled eggs should be relatively cool (not hot).
Yogurt
Yogurt is often a soft food that you may swallow without the need for chewing. Proteins and other nutrients in yogurt are beneficial to health and recovery.
What Shouldn’t You Eat After Tooth Extraction?
There are many foods patients should not take after tooth extraction as they may lead to pain and delay the healing and recovery process. If you want a successful recovery and healing process, you should not take these foods after tooth extraction:
Acidic and Spicy Foods
Some people only enjoy their meals by adding a dab of hot sauce. After tooth extraction, it is time to play cool and take meals without spices. Spicy and acidic foods can irritate and cause a burning sensation on the extraction site and mouth surfaces.
Hard Fruits and Veggies
Patients may suffer severe discomfort and pain if they take hard fruits and veggies after tooth extraction. These foods need a lot of pressure to chew, which could hurt inflamed and tender gums. Some hard fruits and veggies to avoid are:
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Apples
- Potatoes
- Broccoli
- Squash
- Carrots
Crunchy Snacks
The gums are left sensitive and inflamed after tooth extraction. Therefore, taking foods that require much chewing leaves your mouth sore as they will get stuck in the extraction site. You must wait several days until the jaw heals before returning to the crunchy snacks.
Conclusion
Tooth extraction is a procedure that is necessary for a patient where the affected tooth is likely to cause more dental problems. You can improve healing and recovery by knowing which foods to take, including jello, mashed potatoes, ice cream, pudding & smoothies, and yogurt. Consult with your dental professional to learn more about what you can and can’t eat following tooth extraction.
