115 Soft Foods to Eat After Braces, Dental Surgery, Implants or Wisdom Teeth ExtractionBy Dr. Tai Li Lin on 18 February 2020 Show Categories: Braces, Dental Care After certain procedures like tooth extraction, braces, wisdom tooth extraction/surgery or dental implants, your dentist may recommend a soft food diet. Eating food that can be easily swallowed with minimal-to-no chewing is a great idea when your mouth is sore. It keeps pain and inflammation in check while allowing the wound (if any) to heal faster. While soft foods offer your teeth the tender loving care they need, they don’t have to bore the foodie in you — not with our curated list of 115 recipes! It can take up to 2 weeks to recover from the surgery for having your wisdom tooth or teeth removed. During this time, you may have: Report any excess bleeding, severe pain or any
other unusual symptoms to your dentist or oral surgeon immediately. To reduce pain and aid your recovery, it can be helpful to: It's usually recommended that you take a day or two off work after having a wisdom tooth removed. You won't need a sick note from your doctor or dentist for this. You can drive immediately after the procedure if local anaesthetic was used, but you should avoid driving for at
least 24 hours if a sedative was used, or 48 hours if the procedure was carried out under general anaesthetic. Returning to normalAfter your wisdom teeth have been removed and any swelling and bruising has disappeared, your mouth and face should return to normal. You'll usually be able to brush your teeth normally after a few days. Make sure you finish any course of antibiotics you've been given. A check-up appointment may be arranged for about a week or so after the procedure. At this point, any remaining stitches may be removed. Page last reviewed: 17 May 2021 If you're preparing for an upcoming wisdom teeth removal surgery, you are likely to have questions about the surgery and recovery process, and what will I be able to eat after wisdom teeth removal? A key component to making your recovery from this routine procedure as quick and seamless as possible is understanding post-surgical care and the best post-surgery diet for yourself. For people between the ages of 17 and 25, "wisdom teeth," a common term used to refer to third molars in the back of the mouth, often grow in impacted or at an angle and cause several other issues that could make it necessary for their extraction. The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon (AAOMS) recommends patients have their wisdom teeth out if there is an active infection present in the form of gum disease, irreparable tooth decay, or the emergence of cysts or tumors around the tooth. Also, if an impacted wisdom tooth damages the neighboring teeth, it's best to extract it to prevent further harm. A dental X-ray will determine if wisdom teeth removal is appropriate. It will also establish the number of wisdom teeth needing removal. Immediately After RemovalOnce your wisdom teeth have been removed and you've been sent home from the dentist's or oral surgeon's office, you'll have a bit of recovering to do. Patients generally leave with wet gauze pressed against the area where the teeth were, with the intent of stimulating a clot to slow the natural bleeding that occurs. This clot will morph into the healing tissue, filling the hole in your gum and bone. To avoid a dry socket, which Mayo Clinic warns can prolong healing and be quite uncomfortable, care must be taken not to disrupt the clot itself. For this reason, you'll be advised to avoid sucking motions (like drinking through a straw) and smoking, as these actions can indeed hinder the healing clot. What to AvoidSince one or more anesthetic agents will be used during the extraction, your mouth will feel numb for some time after surgery. Once you've returned home and are resting, it's important to be mindful of the types of foods and drinks you consume to prevent any damage or sensations of pain when you do regain feeling in your mouth. To avoid burning your mouth while it's still numb, steer clear of hot foods and drinks. Be mindful that it's easy to bite your tongue, cheek, or lips during this recovery period, so it's best to keep away from chewy foods and hard, crunchy foods such as chips and hard pretzels – along with small sharp foods like popcorn with hulls to avoid gum irritation. As you'd expect, spicy foods should also be avoided, as these could lead to further gum sensitivity or stomach upset. Nutrition is a key component of the reparative process following dental surgery. Like your dentist would recommend at a routine check-up that a well-rounded diet is imperative to your oral health, the same goes for a post-surgery diet. Along with drinking plenty of water, you'll want to eat the best foods for wisdom teeth removal that will be both nutritious and comforting to your mouth. The following foods will provide important vitamins and nutrients for recovery and are easy to chew and swallow:
It's best to stick to these items for four to seven days following your oral surgery, as noted in Medical News Today, plan by stocking up with these foods before your surgery and avoid a diet consisting of store-bought items that are processed or contain added sugars. Keep It CleanGentle cleansing and rinsing as directed by your dental professional will be an important aspect of your healing process. Choose a flexible toothbrush with ultra-forgiving, super-thin bristles to clean between your teeth and under the gumline without harming the stitched areas or healing tissue. As a person continues to grow in their late teens and early twenties, the extraction of wisdom teeth can prove necessary to one's dental health. And while wisdom teeth removal is important, it's imperative to know the foods to eat post-surgery (and what to stay away from) for a quick recovery. Before surgery, you can familiarize yourself with more tips for recovery and gain a deeper understanding of what to expect before the procedure. What can I eat Day 2 of wisdom teeth?On day two, you can add foods that require minimal chewing, such as these and more like them: Eggs. Oatmeal. Cottage Cheese.. All liquids, such as soups and broths, at lukewarm temperatures.. Yogurt.. Pudding.. Applesauce.. Jell-O.. Smoothies.. What can I eat after wisdom teeth pulled out?For the first 24 to 48 hours, eat only liquid and soft foods like yogurt, apple sauce, and ice cream. Cold foods may help with some of the discomfort. As you start to feel better, you can try incorporating more solid foods. On the third day after surgery, try foods like eggs, toast, or oatmeal.
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